England's 'Hyperlocal' Job Support Scheme Shows Promise

AI Summary

A government-funded pilot of 'hyperlocal' job support in 10 neighbourhoods across England has shown promising early signs of effectiveness, including for young people. The JobsPlus scheme focuses intensive support in a small area of predominantly social housing.

The Lead

A government-funded pilot of 'hyperlocal' job support in 10 neighbourhoods across England has shown promising early signs of effectiveness, including for young people, and could be scalable nationwide.

The 'Hyperlocal' Approach

The JobsPlus scheme, backed by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and the Youth Futures Foundation, focuses intensive support in a small area of predominantly social housing. 'Community champions' at each site help engage hard-to-reach people in the local area.

Key Outcomes

Between July 2024 and December last year, 27% of the 1,000-plus participants achieved a positive employment outcome.
Participants reported improvements in mental health, including reduced anxiety, low mood, and social isolation.
About a third of those enrolled (31%) are aged 16-24, compared with 12% of local people in the eligible locations.

The Impact on Youth Unemployment

The scheme's success is particularly significant given the high number of young people not in employment, education, or training (Neet) in England. Labour is keen to experiment with ways of supporting young people into jobs or training.

The Future of the Scheme

The evaluation, carried out by the Institute for Employment Studies, suggests that the scheme could be scaled up nationally. The 10 pilot schemes have been funded by DWP until next March.