With budget cuts and staff restructuring, it’s always difficult identifying, building and sustaining lasting business relationships. Even more so in the public sector where new joiners generally receive a one year only renewable contract!
Running Growing Talent, I have a solid foundation of central managers from JobCentre Plus supporting the programme who know it very well. The testing times come when local personnel get involved with little time to understand it.
A unique situation arose this week. For the first time a Growing Talent Associate will be going into an international role. A passport is critical. How does someone who has been unemployed for a decade plus afford passport photos, let along the passport itself?
Negotiations commenced. As a passport is essential to the end role, JobCentre Plus are able to cover all associated costs.
hallelujah! Could you image the madness of someone not getting off benefits into a sustainable job due to the cost of a passport?
Surely our JobCentres should have the brief and funding to cover whatever an individual to secure a permanent, full-time job. This could be a toolkit, office clothes, shoes or passport even!
I know as a taxpayer funded organisation JobCentre Plus is accountable but am I the only taxpayer that would be happy to see more people go into work supported with whatever they need to do so? It’s surely cheaper than a lifetime of benefits!
Jane James's Consultancy Limited 