The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) published two research reports which examine and evaluate the Support for the Newly Unemployed (SNU) and the Six Month Offer (6MO) initiatives.
The SNU programme provides jobseekers with supplementary job preparation and job search services from day one of a JSA claim. This package of support is strategically designed to support people who have recently become unemployed and who have little or no experience of modern job search techniques.
The 6MO scheme is a support package that offers people reaching six month’s unemployment extra advisory help from Jobcentre Plus advisers. Jobseekers who are eligible for this scheme are given the opportunity to participate in four voluntary strands of activity including: volunteering opportunities to improve their employability; access to work focussed training; help to become self employed; and a recruitment subsidy of up to £1,000.
Key findings from the research were:
- Both Jobcentre Plus staff and customers generally welcomed the introduction of the SNU and 6MO initiatives, with staff reporting that the measures increased the support available to jobseekers in the recession.
- The SNU support delivered by Jobcentre Plus varied widely between offices and experienced disappointing attendance rates.
- Around half of customers eligible for 6MO support took up at least one strand of support. Customers were most likely to have made use of the recruitment subsidy, either informing employers about it or submitting it with applications as part of their jobsearch.
- Although staff and customers thought that the recruitment subsidy was a valuable initiative, employers reported that it made little difference to their recruitment decisions.
Click here to read more (http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd5/rports2009-2010/rrep691.pdf) and (http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd5/rports2009-2010/rrep699.pdf)
