Title
Contents
Acknowledgements 5
The Authors 6
Glossary of terms 7
Abbreviations 9
Summary 10
1. Introduction 14
1.1 Policy background 14
1.2 Research objectives 15
1.3 Research methodology 16
1.4 Report outline 18
2. Take-up of ALO 19
2.1 Staff referrals to ALO 19
2.1.1 Staff understanding of ALO 20
2.1.2 Willingness to refer customers to ALO 22
2.2 Customers taking up ALO 24
2.2.1 Attitude towards ALO 24
2.2.2 Ability to take-up ALO 27
2.3 Summary 28
3. Delivery of ALO 29
3.1 Referral trajectories 29
3.2 Initial conversation with Jobcentre Plus 31
3.3 Nextstep and Skills Coaches 32
3.4 Moving onto training 33
3.5 Training provision 35
3.6 Contact between customers and Jobcentre Plus 37
3.6.1 Contact during training 37
3.6.2 Contact after completion of training 38
3.7 Relationships between agencies 39
3.8 Summary 41
4. Impact of ALO 43
4.1 Immediate impacts of ALO on customers 43
4.1.1 Hard skills 43
4.1.2 Soft skills 44
4.2 Longer-term impacts of ALO on customers 46
4.2.1 Gaining employment 46
4.2.2 Taking up further training 47
4.2.3 Impact on future aspirations 48
4.2.4 Longer-term impacts on personal skills 49
4.3 Impact of withdrawing from ALO 50
4.4 Impacts of ALO on staff 50
4.5 Summary 52
5. Conclusions 53
5.1 Key drivers affecting take-up of ALO 53
5.2 Key factors affecting delivery of ALO 54
5.3 The added value of ALO 55
5.4 Impact of withdrawal of the pilot 55
5.5 Relationships and working practices 56
5.6 Recommendations for other training programmes 57
5.6.1 Explicit recommendations 57
5.6.2 Implicit recommendations 58
Appendix A - Technical appendix 60
Research design 60
Sample design and selection 62
Conduct of the fieldwork 63
Analysis 64
Appendix B - Sample profiles 66
Stage one participating customers 67
Stage two participating customers 68
Stage one Non-participating customers 69
Stage one staff 70
Figure 3.1 Showing possible customer trajectories on to ALO 30