This document summarizes a customer insight project conducted by Wakefield Council and Job Centre Plus. Through stakeholder events, focus groups, interviews, and user groups, they gathered insights about unemployed customers. Key findings included the need for personalized support, help with skills and finances, and barriers like fragmented services, health issues, and lack of work experience. The document outlines reforms to better coordinate support through flexible interventions, work experience programs, sector-based work academies, and enterprise clubs. It also discusses implementing the Work Programme to help more customers find jobs.

1. Wakefield
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Customer Insight Project
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3. Customer Led
Transformation Programme
• Original bid around new council office -
Front Office Shared Service with JCP
• Economic climate – turned into project to
strengthen worklessness approach across
the district

5. Customer Led
Transformation Programme
• Male Unemployed
• Lone Parents
• Incapacity Benefits
• Ex Offenders

6. Customer Led
Transformation Programme
• Stakeholder Event
• Focus groups
• 1 -1 Interviews
• User groups

7. Customer Led
Transformation Programme
Pat Oldroyd
Customer Services Manager, Wakefield Council
Ian Hunter
District Manager, Job Centre Plus West Yorkshire

8. Customer Led
Transformation Programme
Breakout group – Ex Offenders
Breakout group – Lone Parents

9. Stakeholder Event
Breakout group – Male Claimants
Overview of attendees

10. Customer Led
Transformation Programme
• Stakeholder Event
• Focus groups
• 1 -1 Interviews
• User groups

11. Customer Insight Findings
• Customer journey is too fragmented - difficult to see a
clear customer journey
• Individual, personalised support needed: based on
‘everyone’ is different and needs specific help and
support to develop their customer journey
• The need for IT skills and regular access to computers;
• Help with managing finances, debt advice and support;
• Community based support
• A greater focus on the possibility of self-employment, and
the routes to advice
• Affordable, local quality childcare

12. Customer Insight Findings
• Fierce competition from a large number of job seekers
that have a recent work history – particularly long term
claimants
• Work experience was a seen as barrier, particularly for
younger claimants
• Health issues a barrier to employment
• Finite funding arrangements prevents long term planning
and can restrict creativity

13. Welfare Reforms
• Major changes to the delivery landscape
• Significant change to the operational
delivery arrangements of Job Centre Plus
• Introduction of the Work Programme

14. Worklessness Review Group
• To roll out best practice throughout the district
streamlining activity and reducing duplication
• Developing a co-ordinated response to tackling
worklessness
• Co ordinated approach to employer
engagement
• Implement welfare reforms :-
• Personalisation agenda in JCP
• Get Britain Working Measures / Support Menu
• Work Programme

16. Customer Led
Transformation Programme

18. Personalised Flexible
Interventions
• Flexible support delivered by advisers according to need
rather than benefit type
• Greater use of non-contracted provision and discretion to
tailor support to the individual
• Increased focus of diagnosis at the new claim stage
• District Managers to shape the nature and level of support
in their local area – focus on outcomes
• A flexible menu of support options

19. Get Britain Working Measures

20. Customer Led
Transformation Programme

22. Employment Skills Course
• Identify your existing skills and
relate them to employment
criteria
• Devise and present an up to
date CV
• Undertake a job search in a
focused and logical way
• Develop your skills in effective
letter writing and application
form completion
• Develop and practise interview
strategies and techniques

23. Sector Based Work Academies
“This novel recruitment approach led by the
Company in collaboration with JCP has
acquired dedicated and committed
people who have a desire to learn. The
training programme has been both
successful and cost effective and some
excellent people have now joined us….
we are hoping to run a similar scheme
during April 2012 and will be working
closely with Jobcentre Plus to expand
our workforce further”.

24. Work Experience
“The scheme has been a huge success
and enables us to help young people to
have real life work experience and also
keep track of anyone who is of the right
calibre should any vacancies occur – take
Johnny, he came in for 8 weeks and we
were so impressed with his attitude and
commitment to customer service we have
employed him on a permanent contract –
not only have we received a number of
compliments from our customers but he
has just won Employee of the Month which
is fantastic given he has only been with us
a short amount of time.”

25. Enterprise Clubs
• Opportunity to network with other entrepreneurs and self-
employed people
• Guidance in setting up in business, including writing a
business plan; and financial, legal and market advice
• Provide office services, including internet access, and
advice about benefits and in-work support.
• New Enterprise Allowance
• 4 pilot enterprise clubs established to date – looking to roll
out further

26. The Work Programme

28. Quick Wins
• Family Information Leaflet
distributed at each birth
registration
• Considerable increase in
number of enquires
received by the team