Opportunity knocks with the #smithcommission

So let’s start with the bad news. Unfortunately, Smith has determined that Job Seekers Allowance (JSA) and Employment Support Allowance (ESA) are going to remain reserved as will conditionality and sanctions. This is very disappointing especially given the damaging impact we know sanctions can have as highlighted in SCVO’s welfare report published last week. The inability to link job support programmes and their related benefit will also limit the capacity of the Scottish Government to take a coherent, integrated, approach to employment. The proposed new settlement also raises logistical issues about how JSA and ESA related conditionality will be assessed and implemented by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) when job support schemes are operated by the Scottish Government. Job Centres will also remain reserved. Now, initially this surprised me as Job Centres and job support on the face of things appear to go hand in hand but in fact this reflects the changing nature of the Job Centre from the genuine support agency of the 1970s to the benefits processing institution it is today. But now for the good news!

New powers over employment programmes present the third sector with a huge opportunity

After many years of disconnected employment policies and endless confusion over who’s responsible for what, soon Scotland will be able to decide how it designs and delivers employment support services with the devolution of powers over job support for unemployed people. This means we can create more personalised and locally responsive employment support services as well as developing policies linking employability to other devolved areas such as housing, where an individual’s ability to find and sustain employment is key. These new powers over employment programmes present the third sector with a huge opportunity. With the prospect of the Work Programme being abolished (which is by no means a certainty and given last week’s announcement of the extension of the relevant contracts may not be feasible for some time) the Scottish Government will need to design and deliver entirely new employability and job support programmes and here’s where we come in. The third sector in Scotland already delivers a range of support and employability services which often help those furthest from the labour market into work. We’ve a wealth of experience and evidence to share and now is the time to highlight that plentiful knowledge. To tell government what we know works when helping people find and stay in employment. The Scottish Government has the chance to design something new. So let’s leave the failing Work Programme behind and help the Scottish Government design a job support programme that genuinely supports people into sustainable employment.