Department of Social Protection publishes first performance report on JobPath

The Department of Social Protection has published its first performance report on the JobPath service, which aims to help long-term unemployed people to find secure jobs.

This initial data on the impact of the service is encouraging, showing high satisfaction levels among JobPath clients, and also that people who engage with JobPath are more likely to find secure jobs than those who don’t.

JobPath is a new service funded by the Department which helps long-term unemployed jobseekers to prepare for, find and secure work. Clients are assigned a personal adviser who helps them to look for appropriate work, draft a CV, prepare for interviews, and develop in confidence.

The results from the first customer satisfaction survey indicate that jobseekers feel that they are receiving a good service under JobPath (76 – 81% satisfaction vs 5 – 8% dissatisfaction), that JobPath staff make them feel valued (90%+) and they have a good relationship with their JobPath adviser (90%+). They also feel that the JobPath service has improved their chances of getting a job (68% - 77%).

Employment outcome data shows that compared to people who did not take part in the service, people who availed of the service were 23% more likely to have started a job (as of October 2016). The difference appears to be more marked for very long-term unemployed people, with those out of work for more than three years some 44% more likely to have found a job if they participated in JobPath.

The results to date indicate that the service is performing better than expected. Allowing for an upturn in the economy, the Department had expected that 14 - 15% of the jobseekers who used JobPath during the first year would move into secure and sustainable employment. However, the report on outcomes from JobPath shows that about 25% of long-term unemployed participants moved into full-time paid employment while engaging with the service, and that a further 17% moved into other forms of employment, including self-employment.

By the end of 2016 some 9,000 people had completed the service. The scheme is still in its early days and the employment outcome data, although promising, should therefore be treated as preliminary; it will take some time to build up a definitive view of the service. The Department will publish performance data on a quarterly basis and commission an econometric counterfactual impact evaluation of the service at the end of 2017 when participant numbers will have reached a level to support such an evaluation.

The report published today provides data on:

• the level of satisfaction of people who have used the service over the 12 month period to October 2016
• the employment outcomes for the first group of people who had the opportunity to avail of the full 12 months of the service in the period to the end of September 2016. (People who were referred to service in July – September 2015)

The customer survey of jobseeker views was undertaken independently on behalf of the Department by W5, specialists in customer experience consultancy.

The report on the JobPath service is available here.

Further information

JobPath

JobPath is a new employment activation service launched in July 2015. It supports people, who are long-term unemployed (over 12 months) to prepare for, secure and sustain full-time paid employment or self-employment.

Under the service unemployed jobseekers have access to a personal employment adviser who works with them over two phases. The first phase of up to 12 months to prepare a personal progression plan and to provide practical assistance in searching, preparing for, securing and sustaining employment. The second phase starts if the jobseeker is successful in finding work. The adviser continues to work with the jobseeker for a further period of at least three months, and up to 12 months, if they secure employment.

The practical assistance offered includes:

• identifying barriers to employment and solutions to overcome these barriers
• identifying hidden or undervalued talents and skills
• identifying suitable training and skills development options
• identifying preferred and potential fields of employment
• job searching (including use of online tools)
• preparing and tailoring CVs
• preparing for interviews and reviewing interview feedback
• specific skills training
• building confidence and motivation
• adjusting to work

The service which is funded by the Department is provided by two service providers, Turas Nua Ltd and Seetec Business Technology Company Ltd. The service providers are remunerated on the basis of achieving sustained full-time employment outcomes for the jobseekers with whom they work.

Rationale for JobPath

International research evidence indicates that the provision of job search assistance such as that described above is critically important to help people who are unemployed maintain contact with the labour market and improve their prospects of returning to work.

Arising from the large increase in unemployment during the recession the Department of Social Protection required additional capacity to meaningfully engage in this manner with all those who are unemployed – in particular long-term unemployed people (who need more intensive levels of engagement). Following a review of best practice in other countries and taking account of advice and recommendations from a number of expert groups and bodies (including the OECD, NESC and CESI) and a consultation process within Ireland it was decided to develop the JobPath service to increase capacity under a ‘payment by results’ contract model.