First Revision, March 2015 Youth Employment Toolkit For Property
Marks & Spencer 2 Contents Youth Employment Toolkit for property p3 p4 p5 p8 p9 p10 p12 p14 The issue Youth unemployment is a global crisis Foreword By Director of Property, Hugo Adams Movement to Work What is Movement to Work and how can you get involved? Who can help? Delivery partners, charities and tools Next Steps Follow these steps to help drive change Case Study M&S Make Your Mark Case Study Audas Project Management Ltd Buddy Guide Top tips and buddy checklist
Marks & Spencer 3 Foreword 1 in 6 young people in the UK are not in employment, education or training. This is estimated to cost the UK taxpayer 28bn over the next decade and is a persistent social and economic issue no business can afford to ignore. We need your help before unemployment leaves a permanent scar on these young people s lives, the communities they live in and the wider economy. Movement to Work aspires to help young people aged 18-24 who are not in education, employment or training, to move closer to the world of work through provision of high quality training and work experience opportunities. Movement to Work has already experienced success with participation from 24 of Britain s biggest employers and support and endorsement by HM Government, The UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES), the Trades Union Congress (TUC) and the Confederation of British Industry (CBI). I would like to thank all of our suppliers who have already pledged their support, and encourage others to build on this success by joining the Movement to Work challenge. To unlock the full potential of Movement to Work, I also encourage you to engage with your supply chains and other business connections to create a nationwide ripple effect, changing thousands of young lives throughout the UK. This property toolkit provides guidance on joining the Movement to Work, practical advice on running a programme, and outlines the mutual benefits to both your business and the young people involved. Many of our suppliers are already working hard to make a difference and their inspirational stories are showcased in this toolkit, highlighting the real impact these programmes are having on young people. Hugo Adams Director of Property Marks and Spencer
Marks & Spencer 4 Movement to Work The Issue The Vision The Pledge 28b Over the next decade youth unemployment could cost the UK an estimated 28 billion* 40% of jobless young people say they have faced symptoms of mental illness as a direct result of unemployment** Movement to Work is a collaboration between UK employers which aims to create 100,000 structured vocational training and work experience placements for young people aged 18-24 who are not in education, employment or training by the end of 2015. Employers will strive to offer placements equivalent to at least 1% of their workforce and wherever possible link training placements to jobs or apprenticeships. In doing so this will work toward achieving the Movement s aspiration to collectively support 50% of the young people completing placements into paid employment, apprenticeships and further study. To be part of the movement you must create vocational training and work experience placements for unemployed young people, particularly those who have been out of work, education or training for some time. Placements will: 1 Be around 4-6 weeks long and include vocational training, employability skills and work experience (in some sectors different length placements will be appropriate); 2 Be linked to jobs (where possible) including apprenticeships, to meet Movement to Work s aim of 50% of the young people completing placements getting jobs or starting further study or training; 3 Between July and September 2014, there were 954,000 young people (aged 16-24) in the UK not in employment, education or training*** Include support for job search during and/or after placements. Employers will also engage their own supply chains and business networks, asking those employers to make the same commitment, resulting in a national ripple effect to unlock opportunity at scale. STYLE GUIDE www.movementtowork.com * Acevo Commission on Youth Unemployment ** The Prince s Trust *** ONS Statistical Bulletin November 2014
Marks & Spencer 5 Movement to Work Progress Progress so far... 24 of the UK s largest employers. 200+ supplier companies participating. 10,000 placements delivered. 10,000+ pledged for 2015. 50% young people achieving positive outcomes. Registered charity. Supported by HM Government and Trade Union Congress. STYLE GUIDE www.movementtowork.com
Marks & Spencer 6 Key Programme Elements Buddy scheme In-house or with a delivery partner Certificate of achievement Celebration 1 2 3 4 Recruit unemployed young people Train (vocational skills) Try (work experience) Employability outcomes Identify delivery partner (optional) - A partner organisation with strong links with local communities this could be a youth charity or Jobcentre Plus. Recruit against mutually agreed criteria Customise training curriculum - (Vocational / business / role-specific) Inhouse or outsourced Deliver vocational and employability training - Inhouse, external provider or shared between companies in same sector Provide work experience (e.g. Job shadowing, on-thejob training) In-house or via a delivery partner Identify employment opportunities - In-house (e.g. apprenticeship scheme, entry level roles, fixed term contracts) or external Support interview and/ or job search for internal positions or employment externally - In-house or via a delivery partner TYPICALLY 4-6 WEEKS STYLE GUIDE www.movementtowork.com
Marks & Spencer 7 Benefits and how Movement to Work can help Why should you get involved? Running a youth employment programme can have real benefits to your organisation: Tackling youth unemployment as part of your corporate and social responsibility strategy To build a recruitment pipeline for your business; To gain access to young people who are talented and motivated to develop a career in your sector; To help build a diverse and inclusive workforce; To inspire and engage employees by giving them an opportunity to connect with their local communities; To develop the skills, confidence and capabilities of existing employees; As a group, we can together challenge and define best practice; share ideas, case studies and social media presence; collectively reduce the levels of youth unemployment; and increase the employability of young people. How can Movement to Work help? The Movement to Work core team is responsible for the day-to-day running of the Movement and is there to help new employers joining to get started don t hesitate to get in touch! The team can help with: Connecting you with a buddy from an employer in your sector or who is running similar programmes to share learnings; Providing case studies, examples of good practice and tools developed by other participating employers to help design and implement your programme; Connecting you with potential delivery partners e.g. youth charities who specialise in delivering employability support programmes for young people; Guiding you towards further resources as well as Frequently Asked Questions. Contact Movement to Work www.movementtowork.com info@movementtowork.com STYLE GUIDE www.movementtowork.com
Marks & Spencer 8 Who can help? Introduction Job Centre Plus The Prince s Trust Get into Construction There are many organisations, providers and programmes that can support you in running a meaningful work placement for a young person. Here we have highlighted those that can offer a great starting point. JCP can, at no cost, help employers to decide what to offer, build partnerships with local training providers, and help employers to find the right young people for their programme(s). The Small Business Recruitment Service (SBRS) is happy to help and support employers of any size with Movement to Work. To find out more phone 0845 601 2001. The Get into Construction programme is offered where local employment opportunities are available and are co-created with the employer delivering the programme to ensure young people are offered the best chance of securing employment in the sector. To find out more contact: The Prince s Trust or 0207 543 7300. Business in the Community BITC is a registered charity that supports unemployed people by offering advice and practical tools to companies who want to help young people transition from education to employment. Generation Talent is a joint initiative between BITC and The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), which aims to help businesses scale up the number of unemployed people they recruit. To find out more visit Generation Talent. Construction Youth Trust Construction Youth Trust is a registered charity working with young people aged 14-30 years to help them access employment opportunities in the construction industry. They focus particularly on young people from disadvantaged backgrounds including young offenders, the long term unemployed and also those who are just unaware of the opportunities available to them within construction. CYT run a number of programmes including Budding Brunels and Pre-Apprenticeship training for which they are always looking for support and placements. To find out more email Construction Youth Trust. National Skills Academy for Construction The National Skills Academy for Construction is a projectbased training concept that is tailored to helping clients and contractors get the right skills where they need them on-site. It s a demand-led training model, which means the client and contractor determine the required skills. Specific targets and requirements are developed at project level so training is made to fit the needs of each project. To find out more phone 0300 456 7415.
Marks & Spencer 9 Next steps As a property supplier we really want your help in tackling youth unemployment. By following these next steps we can make sure we drive this change together: STEP 1 Review your existing Youth Employment Programme you may already meet the Movement to Work criteria. If so, make sure you pledge your commitment to ensure your achievements are being counted. 2 Develop a Youth Employment Strategy in line with the Movement to Work criteria. Think about how young people can become an integral part of how you do business. Take a look at our case studies for some inspiration. 3 Create an inclusive recruitment system which helps you target those young people that Movement to Work is aiming to support young people, aged 18-24 not currently in education, employment or training. You can explore options to work with delivery partners such as Job Centre Plus. 4 Engage with your supply chains, and other business connections to create the accelerator effect so we can unlock this opportunity at scale. And remember, make sure you register your interest and engage your supply chains in Movement to Work to ensure that all the great work in the in the Property supply base is counted.
Marks & Spencer 10 Case Study: M&S Make Your Mark An M&S Perspective Running Marks & Start since 2004 has demonstrated benefits to recruitment, development, engagement and retention, as well as building a positive message about M&S in the community and demonstrating our commitment to responsible business. Since launching Make Your Mark we have seen that these benefits are further proven in this programme dedicated to young people. Recruitment and Retention Access to a bank of work-ready young people who we have tested before they even start a job; Recruiting people who are loyal and committed to the business; Helps us to recruit and create a diverse and inclusive workplace; Investing in young people fosters a loyal future talent pipeline, and candidates of the programme who get jobs as a result are more likely to be dedicated and longer serving employees; Reduced recruitment costs; Retains high performing existing employees who support and develop programme participants they feel their employer and their impact in work is making a difference to others lives. Development Opportunities Opportunities for existing employees to develop business critical skills such as communication, leadership, teamwork and resilience through taking on the buddy role; 87% of buddies say the programme boosts their skills, loyalty and pride in working for M&S; Provides a new perspective for our leadership teams, requiring them to be more flexible in their leadership approach. Engagement and Employee Brand Ongoing evaluation continues to illustrate that 99% of buddies feel motivated by involvement and 98% say it makes M&S a better place to work; 90% of participants say that the programme changed their lives, giving them the confidence to get back to work; Over 90% say that they now had a greater understanding of the world of work and have improved self esteem and the confidence they needed to get back into work. I have found the programme invaluable to me as it s given me the opportunity to employ valuable members of my store team who I might not have necessarily identified through a structured recruitment process. All three members of staff retained through the programme are now key contributors in store.* Store Manager, Chancery Lane The programme had huge benefits for the store, we had a group of individuals who were really passionate and motivated about working for Marks & Spencer; it also allowed us to forge strong links in the local community.* HR Business Partner * In reference to our Marks & Start employability programme.
Marks & Spencer 11 Case Study: M&S Make Your Mark Marks & Spencer and The Prince s Trust have completely changed my life. The opportunity of employment has allowed me to become more independent. My confidence has improved so much and I can t wait to get started in my new job! Declan, 22, who had never had a job, is now a Customer Assistant at M&S Leicester. A young person s perspective Declan had never had a job. When he was younger he was diagnosed with mild Asperger s syndrome, dyslexia and dyspraxia. At 13 he had a brain AVM (brain bleed), which took him five years to recover from. The illness caused him to spend a lot of time in hospital, at one point receiving radiotherapy treatment, all of which had a huge impact on his education. At 18 Declan went to college on an Entry to Employment programme to gain more qualifications. Due to his conditions, Declan struggled with communication and often felt he couldn t even pick up the phone. He tried to secure part-time work but felt like he was getting nowhere and thought potential employers would stereotype him because of his conditions and assume he couldn t work as well as others. He cut himself off from the rest of the world and didn t want to talk to anyone. After counselling, Declan s life started to improve, and he was able to return to his college course one day a week to study Maths. Not long after, Declan heard about Make Your Mark, and jumped at the chance to take part. As part of the scheme Declan was placed in Foods as a Sales Assistant. His buddy and coach encouraged him to ask questions and be confident in himself. He found his colleagues supportive and understanding of his needs and as a result his confidence began to grow. As part of the role, Declan was working with customers, which allowed him to develop communication skills. Declan, who has now been offered a job at M&S Leicester, is finally looking forward to his future and has aspirations to become a manager and to buy his own flat. At 21 Declan had a breakdown due to financial worry and the fact he couldn t find a job.
Marks & Spencer 12 Case Study: Audas Project Management Ltd Company: Audas Project Management Ltd Site: M&S Chester & M&S Nottingham No. of permanent employees: 40 Outline of the programme We have been big supporters of the Movement to Work campaign from the start and wherever possible will offer work placements local to projects through Job Centre Plus for people within the NEET category. Work placements are for a minimum of 4 weeks. We also offer a real life mock interview service which gives youngsters the opportunity to prepare and practise for interviews. We take them through the whole process including submission of CVs, locating the interview and making travel arrangements. The participants are also given feedback with suggestions for any improvements. We are actively promoting the campaign and encouraging our supply chain to join in this worthwhile cause. The scheme is communicated to our supply chain via bulletins, pre-start meetings and email shots. To date we have offered a work placement at each of our projects in M&S Nottingham and Chester stores. Both work experience placements were for a period of 8 weeks and they are now both in full-time paid employment for the duration of the projects. We are now looking for new young people to fill those work placement vacancies. As well as work experience placements we are looking to recruit an apprentice within the NEET 18-24 year age bracket to join as a Trainee Quantity Surveyor in the Small Works team. We are keen to give our younger generation a chance. In addition to the aforementioned, (albeit outside the scope of NEET), we have recently taken on a 19 year old apprentice to train alongside our operational teams. Including our latest apprentice, we have had four young additions to the Audas team over the past 2-3 years ranging in age from 19-24. Who s been involved? M&S Delivery Teams; Audas Senior Management; Job Centre Plus; M&S Property Concept Team. How many young people (18-24 years) have been/going through the programme? To date (within the NEET category) 2. In 2014, Audas also had 5 apprentices. What experiences have they had? Business awareness (how a fast-paced business operates and how commercial decisions are made); Working under pressure; Working in a busy team and being a team player ; Using initiative; Use of different IT systems; Representing Audas and being responsible and reliable.
Marks & Spencer 13 Case Study: Audas Project Management Ltd What are the outcomes for the young people and your business? The young people we are involved with on work experience placements will hopefully have gained a confidence boost, had the opportunity of building a rapport with their fellow colleagues and had experience of working in a real life working environment. In addition they have something positive and real to include on their CVs. Our apprentices have the opportunity to work for a real employer, earn a real salary and gain a real qualification whilst gaining valuable workplace skills and experience. Apprenticeships bring productive, enthusiastic and loyal people into our organisation. Our involvement with work experience placements and apprenticeships demonstrates to our customers and suppliers our investment in young people. Want to find out more? Please contact: Lindsay.bowker@audas.co.uk
Marks & Spencer 14 Buddy Guide A buddy or mentor is an invaluable resource when trying to help young people make the transition from being unemployed into work. It is important that you understand your role and the wider programme, and the size of the challenge in relation to the number of young unemployed people here in the UK. We have put together some top tips and key points to consider when acting as a buddy or mentor to ensure both you and your mentee benefit. Top Tips Ensure you can commit to being a mentor for the length of the programme. Arrange regular meetings with your mentee make it an integral part of role. Make sure the relationship is reciprocal you will also learn a lot. Ask open questions this will let your mentee develop their own ideas. Congratulate your mentee on their achievements throughout the programme. Present the young person with a certificate of achievement - it is very important to present their accomplishments to other employers. Checklist Attend training on how to be a successful mentor. Choose a suitable location for your mentoring meetings. Set objectives with your mentee, for both of you. Allocate regular 1:1 meeting times. Provide feedback. Celebrate success. It was very rewarding and made me feel that I had really achieved something worthwhile. How often are you told, as I was, that you have changed the course of someone s life? A buddy for a homeless participant at M&S Hammersmith store said after a placement, you can t teach that kind of experience on a training course.
Marks & Spencer 15 Marks and Spencer plc. All rights in respect of this publication are reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying or in any information retrieval system, without the written permission of Marks and Spencer plc. Any request to copy any part of this publication should be made to the publisher. This manual is for guidance only. All legal requirements take priority over guidance contained herein. Publication designed by Matthew Fairweather Limited
First Revision, March 2015