DurhamWorks, a programme to support 16-24-year-olds in the county into education, employment or training, which ran for eight years until 2023, helped between four and 13% more onto these pathways than comparable young people who did not participate, research has shown.
It found that:
- between four and seven percentage points more programme participants were classed as employed two years after starting the programme, than had they not participated;
- between seven and ten percentage points more programme participants achieved continuous employment (six months or more in a row) in the two years after starting the programme, than had they not participated; and
- the percentage of participants who passed an education or training course at any time during the two years after start was between ten and 13 percentage points higher than had they not participated.
DurhamWorks was a partnership programme led by Durham County Council, which aimed to break down barriers to work and build employability skills for young people. The programme targeted 16 to 24-year-olds who were not in education, employment or training (NEET) in County Durham.
It supported over 11,700 NEETs funded through a total of £29mn from the European Social Fund (ESF) and the Youth Employment Initiative (YEI).
The county council welcomed the findings of the analysis of the DurhamWorks programme, particularly, it said, the positive impact it had on employment, sustained employment, and participation in education and training.
The research was carried out by the Employment Data Lab, a service provided by a team of analysts at the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), which provides information to organisations which have worked with people to help them into employment. The purpose is to provide these organisations with information to help them understand the impact of their programmes.
The main analysis focuses on a sub-group of 4,868 evaluated participants (out of 8,139) who started the programme between August 2015 and October 2021 and were between the ages of 18 to 24. Additional sub-analyses were carried out exploring the impact of the programme on those with special educational needs (SEN) provisions and those of different genders. There was also analysis on the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and analysis of the longer-term impacts up to four years after start.
What DurhamWorks did
DurhamWorks gave participants access to one-to-one support from both transitional and specialist advisors. This ensured participants progressed onto suitable delivery partner schemes and addressed barriers both in and outside of employment, education or training. Information provided by Durham County Council showed that participants most commonly had meetings with advisors ranging from once or twice a week to fortnightly with weekly meetings the most common, and meetings lasted 34 minutes on average.
DurhamWorks also provided employer grants to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) who hired programme participants. The employer grant provided up to £2,500 to help employers cover the initial cost of hiring a young person. To qualify for an employer grant, the job opportunity had to be for at least 30 contracted hours per week and have some form of education or training attached to it.
Participant information
Of the 4,868 participants included in the analysis, the available administrative data indicated that 62% were male and 38% were female; average age on joining the programme was 20 years; 96% were white; 39% had previously been eligible for free school meals; 45% had previously had SEN (special educational needs) provisions; and 51% had been employed at some point in the two years before starting the programme
The labour market impacts of the programme over time
The results show that the programme led to more classed as employed at two years; more classed as looking for work at two years; fewer classed as inactive, at two years; and fewer classed as ‘other’ at two years.
For a subset of 4,611 programme participants, it was possible to observe longer term labour market outcomes. For most of this subgroup, the four-year outcomes period overlapped the COVID-19 pandemic and associated lockdowns.
The results show that the statistically significant increase in employment at two years after programme start was sustained up to four years after programme start. The results also show the initial statistically significant decrease in inactivity benefit claims was not sustained and became statistically insignificant between three and four years after programme start. The impacts on the number of participants in the ‘other’ and employed categories declined but were still statistically significant four years after programme start.
“Positive and successful”
Three primary outcome measures were chosen to assess the success of this programme. The results, says the DWP, suggest that the programme had positive, and statistically significant impacts on all three primary outcome measures. This suggested the programme had been successful at:
- increasing the percentage of the group classed as employed two years after starting the programme;
- increasing the percentage of the group that achieved continuous employment at any time during the two years after starting the programme.
- increasing the percentage of the group passing an education qualification at any time during the two years after starting the programme.
County council comment
Durham County Council said: “Several factors contributed to the success of the programme. A critical element was the partnership delivery model, which included voluntary and community sector organisations. This approach helped ensure that the diverse and often complex needs of young people across the county could be met. These needs included poor mental health, low confidence, limited skills and qualifications, a lack of work experience, and transport barriers.
“Each delivery partner brought specific expertise, and collectively, they offered a flexible and engaging programme that supported participants to progress into employment, education and training. Many of these partnerships, first established during the initial phase of the programme, remain in place to this day.
“Engagement with local employers was another important success factor. County Durham has a business base dominated by micro, small and medium-sized enterprises. The use of a learning, working and earning grant proved effective in encouraging employers to create paid job opportunities for young people participating in the programme.
“The provision of one‑to‑one wrap‑around support was also essential. Participants were supported by information, advice and guidance (IAG)‑qualified advisers, who played a key role in engaging young people within their communities, identifying individual needs, and supporting them throughout their journey on the programme. This support helped participants progress into sustained employment, education or training.”
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