South Birmingham PCT ... Access to employment service
A model for supporting people to gain employment in health and social care.
The Access to Employment (A2E) service (ceased in 2005) aimed to provide a one-stop-shop for potential applicants to local health services, by providing access to information and support on how to navigate the system more effectively. Every job applicant was sent a flyer about the service.
A local community drop-in centre in the town opened every Monday morning, supplying information on all local job vacancies in health and social care. The sessions included presentations from PCT staff from human resources and learning and development, and was supported by local JobcentrePlus staff.
Training was also advertised and signposted at A2E. Mock interviews were available, and applicants were encouraged to complete sample application forms at home and bring them in for feedback.
Applicants could also be screened for literacy and numeracy, which helped them identify what types of job they could apply for or what additional training they might need. Confidence-building courses were also offered.