Source · Select Committees · Work and Pensions Committee
Recommendation 25
25
Accepted in Part
Audit existing Jobcentre partnerships with the voluntary and community sector to develop new operational models.
Recommendation
DWP should improve how it works with the voluntary and community sector, but first it needs to understand its current position. DWP should undertake an audit of its existing partnership work. It should use this to develop new operational models and to identify opportunities for better local partnerships, such as increased co-location. It should also start collecting more consistent, detailed data about Jobcentre partnerships on an ongoing basis, incorporating partnership activities into the performance management of individual Jobcentres. (Recommendation, Paragraph 121) 57
Government Response Summary
The government partially accepts, committing to actively collaborate with the voluntary and community sector and develop a mapping tool to audit and baseline existing outreach partnership activity across the Jobcentre network. This tool will standardise data collection to inform a more Flexible Delivery Network.
Government Response
Accepted in Part
HM Government
Accepted in Part
Partially accept DWP recognises the invaluable part played by the voluntary and community sector in supporting customers alongside DWP and agrees that forming a more coherent view of the current position is useful. As part of the extensive engagement we are undertaking to inform the creation of a new Jobs and Careers service, we are actively collaborating with representatives from the voluntary and community sector and will continue to do so. We are keen to learn from the sector and incorporate its valuable insights into the department’s work. DWP recognises the importance of accurate data to support and inform decision making and is developing a mapping tool to understand and baseline outreach partnership activity delivered across our Jobcentre network. The mapping tool will serve as a foundational audit tool, enabling DWP to catalogue and assess existing outreach partnerships across the Jobcentre network, and standardise data collection. It will provide an overview of all outreach levers in place to support local leaders in the identification of further opportunities to explore in their communities alongside good practice to share. This is key to inform and shape a more Flexible Delivery Network which aims to tackle economic inactivity by bringing DWP support directly into local communities, working closely with local partners and employers to meet the needs of the community, providing the right support at the right time in the right place.