Themes

Regions

Employment & Labour

The aim of fuller employment, improved skills and better jobs, especially for socially and economically excluded people, underpins all ECOTEC's research and consultancy work. Through work for major government departments, ECOTEC has helped shape the solution to key policy challenges in this area.  

For example, we have recently reported to DWP on methods to improve  access to Jobcentre Plus services for people with communication barriers – including people with disabilities and people with English as a second language –groups for whom access to work is key. 

ECOTEC has also been supporting DWP in the development of the City Strategy Business Plans, a central element of employment strategy in the pathfinder areas, being rolled out nationally in the near future.  

ECOTEC can help you:

  • Plan your employment initiatives – especially where this involves improving pathways to employment for economically and socially excluded groups;
  • Advise you on best practice with our knowledge of 'what works' from Europe and other parts of the UK;
  • Help you plan practical programmes and projects in place to meet national and regional policy;
  • Carry out research with vulnerable workers and employers in a sensitive but systematic manner;
  • Evaluate your initiatives.

Theme Portfolio: City Strategy Pathfinders – assessment and support

DWP's City Strategy was announced in the Welfare Reform Green Paper. Fifteen areas were chosen to act as 'pathfinders' to test the approach, business plans of their intended delivery were submitted to DWP at the end of 2006.

 

ECOTEC have produced an assessment framework of the individual plans, highlighting strengths and weaknesses, and provided constructive feedback to each of the City consortia. Following on from that work, we are now working to assess city strategy's revised business plans in terms of governance, programme design and financial and performance Management.

 

We have provided an assessment of the appropriateness and robustness of the City Strategy Business Plan's arrangements for procurement and accountability, allowing it to meet the requirement for pathfinder activity to begin in April 2007.

carolyn.hay@ecotec.com
+44 121 616 3600


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