For Consideration and Approval – Membership of Movement to Work
Proposal
The Board / Executive Committee is being asked to consider a proposal that [Organisation] joins Movement to Work (“MtW”) and, embarks on a pilot to deliver workplace opportunities for young people who are not currently in education, employment or training (“NEET”).
Commencing membership of Movement to Work presents an exciting opportunity to work in partnership to positively and sustainably impact youth unemployment in the UK. By collaborating with other employer members across a diverse range of business sectors, [Organisation] will be helping to remove the barriers to employment that are often prevalent for young people who are NEET. From a business perspective, membership will provide a diversifier to our existing recruitment intake and by fostering social mobility we will be futureproofing our talent pipeline.
Movement to Work – An Overview
MtW is a not-for-profit coalition of UK employers, government and civil society committed to reducing the UK youth unemployment rate and transforming the lives of young people. The initiative is governed, resourced and funded by a Steering Group comprising CEOs and senior leaders from Accenture, BAE Systems, BT, Barclays, CBI, M&S, Tesco, the Prince’s Trust and others. This means the offering is free to use for the wider membership base.
Founded in 2013, MtW help employers provide high-quality work experience placements and other opportunities to 16-30 year olds who are NEET. This mechanism is a proven tool in breaking the vicious cycle of ‘no experience, no job’ that is hindering so many. To date, MtW members have delivered over 90,000 workplace opportunities across the UK, with 56% of programme participants progressing into jobs and apprenticeships, or returning to education.
Movement to Work – The Benefits
Return on Investment: Accenture’s study into the financial performance of the NHS employability programme demonstrated a return of 2.5 times on every £1 spent and a breakeven threshold of 19 months. Specific benefits include reduced turnover (9%), reduced absence (2%) and increased staff commitment with 80% of hiring managers considering the initiative to have had a positive impact.
Diversity and Inclusion: MtW is an integral recruitment tool to build a sustainable and diverse talent pipeline. When sourced through the right partners, the cohort participating in employability programmes will match the demographic of the communities in which an employer’s operations are located. MtW members in 2018 collectively delivered placements comprised of 52% females, 18% BAME and 18% those who identify as having a disability.
Social Value and Engagement: MtW provides a platform to embed social purpose into the business model, actively demonstrates an organisations commitment to fostering social mobility and directly supports the UN Sustainability & Development Goals. Participating in the initiative also creates a positive impact for existing employees, supporting development of line management, public speaking and mentoring skills.
Movement to Work – The Value in Partnership
Resource, Expertise and Support: MtW is a committed and specialist resource that provides organisations with the direction and insight to make a real difference. MtW supports all aspects of design, delivery and implementation of programmes.
Established Partnerships: MtW has established partnerships with leading training providers and youth outreach organisations across the UK at both regional and national levels. All partners complete a governance and assurance process before joining the partner network. Opportunities are advertised free of charge on the MtW Talent Platform in conjunction with Get My First Job which has a monthly footfall of c100,000 unique logins.
Collective PR and Government Relations Amplification: MtW consistently lobbies the government on matters of policy in a way that is employer and sector agnostic. The MtW annual CEO Summit and Social Mobility Awards are key events, which attract national media exposure and endorsement from government ministers.
Collaboration and Innovation: MtW has established a Leadership Forum and national network that shares best practice and drives innovation. The collective and diverse experiences of the membership base ensures positive outcomes are maximised, to the benefit of both UK business and young people.
Programme Delivery
Movement to Work does not mandate how a programme is delivered, however, guidance and support is provided in a number of key areas. A dedicated resource, with specialist expertise, is available throughout both initial planning and programme delivery phases.
Eligibility: MtW opportunities focus on people aged 16-30 years but are not generally age restrictive. The minimum period for which a NEET has been out of education, employment or training and looking for work is 4 weeks. This aligns with Government guidance on the definition of NEET.
Duration: The optimal length of programme will vary across industry sector, skillset and funding option. The objective is to gain sufficient experience to undertake training for a sustainable role within a company, including apprenticeships.
Sourcing of talent: In addition to a national partnership with Job Centre Plus, the MtW partner network helps organisations source and support young people into work. Direct messaging and posting of opportunities is available via the MtW/Get My First Job Talent Platform.
Programme Cost: A number of options are available regarding the cost of a programme and how it can be funded. This will vary based on the involvement of external training providers and programme structure. Government drawdown can be made available for Sector Based Work Academies and Traineeships. Membership to MtW and MtW resource has no cost attached. A number of leading early careers resources are provided to members free of charge, such as MtW’s Employability Skills Programme – developed in conjunction with Accenture.
Pilot Phase and Next Steps
Subject to the granting of Board / Executive Committee approval, it is proposed that a membership application is made and a pilot phase will be commenced. The purpose of the pilot phase is to work collaboratively with MtW to roll out a tailored programme within [Organisation], testing effectiveness in practise.
MtW resource and expertise will be available throughout the pilot phase but to ensure appropriate oversight and operational commitment, a senior sponsor within the business is required. Progress updates are provided on a quarterly basis, or more frequently, if required.