FLEXIBLE New Deal

October time will see the start of the FLEXIBLE New Deal, a massive and welcomed change in how support will be offered to people who are struggling to find work. After a period of time working with the Job Centre if an individual has not been successful in finding sustainable employment, they will be referred to the FLEXIBLE New Deal (FND).

The big change is that the organisations running FND have been given the freedom by the DWP to come up with a plan for each individual, a plan that is unique to the circumstances of the individual and does not have DWP prescribed hours and content. At A4e we fully expect to have upwards of 200 different activities and support options on offer to each individual client from which they, after a thorough ”getting to know you” period and then along with their career coach can choose the ones that will work for them. We will have the freedom to work with any other organisations that can support the individual ‘buying in’ even more activities and support.

Over the next five years we have estimated that we will be working with 310,000 people to support them in improving their lives.

There are physical changes too; all our offices are becoming more open plan. No more need for ‘classrooms’ for the old mandatory job search sessions.

They are all being refurbished to be more FLEXIBLE. Soft furnishings, cafes, ‘pod’ for quiet work, advice and guidance and career coaching. (Don’t worry the old favourites of free drinks, fruit, flowers, listening posts and more, are all part of the plan too)

Our existing UK staff are certainly up for the challenge of the change ( in fact they have helped design it as have our clients) and we have been recruiting new people too. If you are passionate about helping others and have the heart, knowledge and skills to do so,  keep checking out our careers section on the website over the coming years.

All the best

Emma