Tackling Unemployment Digital Conference

Thursday 17th June 2021    (FULL DAY EVENT)

Digital Event, Broadcast Live

Key Points
  • Person centred approaches to reduce unemployment levels for vulnerable groups, including young people and those facing multiple disadvantage
  • Reviewing the Government's Plan for Jobs and maximising the opportunities available from Kickstart, SWAP, and Apprenticeships
  • Creating sustainable employment opportunities, from upskilling to retention and career progression
  • Working collaboratively with local partners to offer viable and targeted solutions in each area
  • Click Here to Secure your Place
Overview
Expert Speakers:

  • Senior Representative, Department of Work and Pensions
  • Elizabeth Taylor, Chief Executive, Employment Related Service Association
  • Tony Wilson, Institute Director, Institute for Employment Studies
  • Matt Ainsworth, Assistant Director, Education, Skills, Work,Greater Manchester Combined Authority
  • David Kersey, Employment and Skills Services, Coventry City Council
  • Sam Windett, Director of Policy, Impetus, Co-Chair, Youth Employment Group
  • Mat Ilic, Chief Development Officer, Catch 22
  • Sam Olsen, Chief Executive, Movement to Work
  • Teresa Scott OBE, CEO, Kennedy Scott
  • Asi Panditharatna, Divisional Director, Employment Services, The Forward Trust
  • Nicola Inge, Employment and Skills Director, Business in the Community
  • Dan Howard, Managing Director, Skills Forward

    Around one in seven (15%) of employees in the UK work in a sector that has largely or entirely shut down during the Covid-19 lockdown** with disproportionate effects on part-time and young workers, women and disabled people.

    Join Westminster Insight’s Tackling Unemployment: Collaboration for Inclusive Recovery Digital Conference, to learn about comprehensive and collaborative approaches to get people back into work. We will review opportunities to deliver rapid and long-term strategies to reduce worklessness for the newly unemployed and for vulnerable groups that are now further displaced from the labour market.

    You will get a first-hand perspective of the Government’s Plan for Jobs, followed by the analysis from experts including Tony Wilson, Institute of Employment Studies, and Elizabeth Taylor, ERSA. You will review challenges and opportunities implementing different schemes including Kickstart and Restart tackle specific unemployment levels for targeted groups.

    Hear best practice from Coventry City Council and Greater Manchester Combined Authority, and leading providers including Impetus, Catch 22 and the Forward Trust. Discover how they are working collaboratively to optimise processes and deliver person-centred employability services to increase opportunities in their respective areas.

    Learn from private sector’s commitments to ensure that economic recovery upholds inclusive hiring standards. Join us to get actionable advice on the steps we can take to promote upskilling, inclusion and progression to re-build sustainable employment opportunities.

    **Institute for Fiscal Studies, https://www.ifs.org.uk/uploads/BN278-Sector-shutdowns-during-the-coronavirus-crisis.pdf
Agenda
Start

09:15 - 09:20
Chair's Opening Remarks

 
Speakers

Mark Cosens Fellow, Institute of Employability Professionals

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09:20 - 09:50
Opening Keynote Address:
A Plan for Jobs - Opportunities to Rebuild the Economy

 
  • Reviewing the implementation and progress of the Government’s Plan for Jobs
  • Supporting newly unemployed jobseekers and vulnerable groups into sustainable employment
  • Mitigating the effects of long-term unemployment and transitioning from benefits to employment
9:40 - 9:50 Questions and Discussion
Speakers

Senior Representative DWP

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09:50 - 10:20
Keynote Address 2:
Widening Access and Maximising Employment Opportunities

 
  • Driving lasting system change for a sustainable recovery and helping those in benefits transition into employment
  • Overcoming challenges to deliver quality employment services
  • Reviewing rapid responses to get people back into work, avoiding the effects of long term unemployment
10:10 - 10:20 Questions and Discussion
Speakers

Elizabeth Taylor Chief Executive, Employment Related Services Association (ERSA)

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10:20 - 11:00
Tackling a National Problem Through a Person-Centred Approach

 
  • Creating employment opportunities by aligning skills and vacancies through a person-centred approach
  • Promoting holistic approaches to support the transition from benefits into employment including health support and debt relief
  • Maintaining inclusive hiring standards in the public and private sector
10:50 - 11:00 Questions and Discussion

Speakers

Tony Wilson Institute Director, Institute for Employment Studies

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11:00 - 11:20
Break

 

11:20 - 12:00
Case Studies: Multi Agency Collaboration and Local Leadership for Employment Recovery

 
  • Identifying local needs and networks to deliver sustainable employment opportunities  Reviewing best practice and innovative approaches from local authorities to optimise resources through partnerships
  • Maximising devolution strategies for effective service delivery
  • Overcoming the challenges of service deliverability and meeting the expected results 
  • Reviewing successful case studies from Local authorities
11:50 - 12:00 Questions and Discussion
Speakers

David Kersey Employment Development Manager, Employment and Skills Services, Coventry City Council

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Matthew Ainsworth Assistant Director Education, Skills & Work, Greater Manchester Combined Authority

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12:00 - 12:50
Kickstart: A Youth Employment Strategy to Drive the Recovery

 
  • Avoiding long periods of worklessness for young people
  • Beyond apprenticeships: Achieving successful recruitment and progression
  • Creating meaningful job opportunities for young people to increase social mobility
  • Case studies: Implementing the kickstart scheme
12:40 - 12:50 Questions and Discussion
Speakers

Mat Ilic Chief Development Officer, Catch 22

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Samantha Windett Director of Policy, Impetus, Chair, Youth Employment Group

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Sam Olsen CEO, Movement to Work

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12:50 - 13:20
Supporting a Diverse Pool of Job Seekers Through Effective Interventions

 
  • Upskilling people to re-enter a competitive labour market 
  • Coaching job seekers and providing peer support to achieve positive outcomes
  • Optimising the effective delivery of services through service commissioning and meeting clients’ and markets’ needs 
13:10 - 13:20 Questions and Discussion
Speakers

Teresa Scott OBE CEO, Kennedy Scott

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13:20 - 13:50
Break

 

13:50 - 14:10
Intersectional approaches: Improving Opportunities to Support Vulnerable Individuals from Disadvantaged Backgrounds

 
  • Reviewing successful initiatives to support unemployed individuals who were further displaced from the labour market
  • Destigmatisation, peer support and health approaches to improve employee performance
  • Mitigating the long-term effects of the crisis with health and care partners
14:10 - 14:20 Questions and Discussion
Speakers

Asi Panditharatna Divisional Director, Employment Services Forward Trust

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14:20 - 14:50
Flexible Working Solutions for Disability Inclusion

 
  • Harnessing digital strategies to create accessible and flexible job opportunities
  • Making reasonable adjustments to recruit and retain a wider pool of talent
14:40 - 14:50 Questions and Discussion
Speakers

Daniel Howard MD of Skills Forward & Operations Director, Learning for Work

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14:50 - 15:20
Recovery Outlook – “Building Back Responsibly”

 
  • Reviewing Private Sector Led Strategies and Business in The Community and best practice from the National Business Response Network (NBRN)
  • Harnessing social value to create a positive impact in local communities
  • Utilising local intelligence and supporting self-starters
15:10 - 15:20 Questions and Discussion

15:20 - 15:30
Chair's Closing Remarks

 
Speakers

Mark Cosens Fellow, Institute of Employability Professionals

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End
Speakers

Matthew Ainsworth Assistant Director Education, Skills & Work, Greater Manchester Combined Authority

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Mark Cosens Fellow, Institute of Employability Professionals

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Senior Representative DWP

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Daniel Howard MD of Skills Forward & Operations Director, Learning for Work

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Mat Ilic Chief Development Officer, Catch 22

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Nicola Inge Employment & Skills Director, Business in the Community

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David Kersey Employment Development Manager, Employment and Skills Services, Coventry City Council

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Sam Olsen CEO, Movement to Work

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Asi Panditharatna Divisional Director, Employment Services Forward Trust

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Teresa Scott OBE CEO, Kennedy Scott

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Elizabeth Taylor Chief Executive, Employment Related Services Association (ERSA)

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Tony Wilson Institute Director, Institute for Employment Studies

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Samantha Windett Director of Policy, Impetus, Chair, Youth Employment Group

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Venue details

Digital Event Broadcast Live

Speakers
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