The Restart Scheme is one year old

Jun 30, 2022

The DWP Restart Scheme (serviced by Serco and its delivery partners in Wales) offers a joined-up approach to employability provision and shared outcomes within the community.  Its aim is to help eligible jobseekers to get back on the road to recovery with up to 12 months of tailored support.

As the programme looks to celebrate one year of delivery in July, Partnership Manager, David Elsmere takes a moment to reflect on his team’s recent successes in the South East for jobseekers who face multiple barriers to work:

“We know that every job seeker’s journey into work is different, which is why we continually improve the provisions we provide for a range of people. And this is especially true for people with disabilities and significant physical or mental health conditions.

We recently identified a way to strengthen the route to work for people with complex health needs. It became apparent that many of the Disability Employability Advisors (DEAs) at Job Centre Plus were unfamiliar of the wide range of support available and not necessarily referring people who required a Disability Employability assessment onto the Restart Scheme.

So, with DWP Partnership Managers, we set to work delivering Complex Needs sessions across Wales for all DEAs. This was crucial as DEAs help Work Coaches decide which support programme is suitable for job seekers in their care, and both parties need to feel confident that the Restart Scheme will provide the best outcome.

Feedback from our Complex Needs information sessions was extremely positive. They also provided a space for our supply chain of employability experts to outline specific support they offer for job seekers who face multiple challenges. Off the back of the sessions, my team now meets regularly with DEAs to update them on the wrap-around provision that is available, making for more confident and streamlined referral routes for jobseekers into the Restart Scheme.

Like our partnership to improve prospects for those with complex needs, my team is always looking to collaborate with local organisations who can prepare all job seekers with the skills and resilience they need to enter lasting employment – and in turn help to build a thriving, local economy.

With this in mind, we invite your organisation to our celebratory ‘bumper’ Local Engagement Meeting in July. The meeting provides a space to connect decision makers with service providers who have strong community ties. Acting as facilitators, part of our role is to link service providers who are all working to improve employability outcomes from jobseekers in Wales, encouraging attendees to share priorities, needs and opportunities within the local labour market. Please email me, David.Elsmere@serco.com for details.”