ERSA Objectives 2008-09

Operational objectives for 2008/09

All our objectives are to be viewed in the context of public sector reform, particularly welfare reform, this being the area most directly impacting upon the employment of the most disadvantaged groups in society. ERSA will continue to speak as the voice of authority in its industry.

Our over-riding operational objectives will be:

 To develop an infrastructure of staffing and support that allows ERSA to achieve its objectives
 To maintain a strong, independent, voice and to achieve national recognition as that voice
 To promote a continuum of provision, associated funding and access to Train to Gain and the Learner Account with or without employed status. This way taking a job seeker seamlessly through employability programme to in-work skills support at an appropriate accreditation level
 To continue to influence policy within DWP and DIUS and to extent our influencing across Governmental departments including DCLG, DCSF, DBERR, Office for the Third Sector and Treasury
 To track and influence Opposition party employment and skills policy
 To continue to demonstrate to our members the added value ERSA membership brings to their organisation

Commissioning reform

Immediate responses:

• We will continue to work with DWP to design a relationship model for flexible New Deal based upon viable contracts and monitored through a Code of Conduct for private and voluntary sector providers across all tiers of the supply chain
• We will address specific DWP commissioning themes, to include:
o The design of the first 12 months with JCP in fND
o Stage 5 (beyond fND)
o Long-term Pathways “stock”
o Single parents with youngest child less than 7 (end of EZ and no NDLP-type provision designated within fND)
o Contribution (and follow up) to the Third Sector Taskforce evidence sessions
• We will continue to contribute to the RoDES. review of WORKSTEP/WORKPREP contracts, opening up dialogue with BASE in order to contribute to shared thinking in our responses
• We will continue to work with the Treasury and DWP to promote the introduction of a DEL/AME switch process
• We will maintain dialogue with DWP Areas Initiative and Communities Division in order to remain involved in the Cities Strategy programme and with DCLG in order to impact upon policy and strategic thinking regarding the Working Neighbourhoods Fund
• We will maintain dialogue with DCLG and DWP over joint working initiatives between providers and Housing Associations/Registered Social Landlords and open dialogue with the Foyer Federation to better contribute to youth engagement through Housing strategy
• We will continue to make the case, throughout all our activities, for appropriate and cross departmental levels of investment in employment and training programmes to ensure our customers have access to suitable programmes to assist them to find sustained employment. Our particular emphasis will be upon fND, Train to Gain and the Working Neighbourhood Fund

Intermediate responses:
• Research and endorse customer quality standards appropriate to the industry if available through already accredited agencies. If found to be inappropriate seek a suitable organisation with which to develop jointly
• Continuous monitoring and feedback to DWP of the impact of the Commissioning Strategy upon the sector’s provider base including, but not exclusively, the impact on smaller and specialist providers
• Work with DWP and Ofsted to ensure that the Common Inspection Framework is fit for purpose within fND and to understand the relationship with the Star Rating system. Recognise and highlight where unnecessary audit overlap occurs and aim to achieve common standards across the audit agencies.

Positioning

• Continue promoting “ERSA owned” opinions and views and our bridging of the private and voluntary sectors within our membership
• Maintain our focus upon our customers and our commitment to the message that employment changes lives for the better
• To act with DWP, DIUS and other Government departments to create and perpetuate a commercially viable Welfare to Work and Skills market which will attract and retain high quality providers.
• Continue to build our reputation as a thought leader to which policy makers come to for innovative ideology, guidance on operational application and straight talking
• Continue to base our arguments on fact and research rather than upon polemic
• Continue to emphasise the importance of value for money, maximising the funding at point of delivery, appropriate choice and the customer at the core of all our activity


Targets

• Broaden our networking to work with other associations in order to understand their priorities and agree mutually supporting messages. To include CBI, TUC, unionlearn, acevo, ALP, BASE, TAEN, CPAG, RES, Equality and Human Rights Commission
• Understand the international perspective, disseminating and modelling from good practice where appropriate
• Actively work to cross departmental barriers assisting DCSF, DIUS and DWP to implement Leitch and maximise the opportunities for our customers to access sustained employment with training
• Raise awareness of our activity amongst the Skills Funding Agency, the Sector Skills Councils and Commission for Employment and Skills (CES)
• Raise awareness of our activity across regional bodies via DWP officials in the regional offices, through the Local Government Association, the Regional Development Agencies and the Ministers for the Regions
• Acknowledge that employer engagement is central to the success of welfare reform and maintain our focus to include employers within our activities through engagement with the CES, CBI, CIPD, British Chambers of Commerce, Federation of Small Businesses, Institute of Directors and others
• Maintain the strong links we have with DWP and Jobcentre Plus through our open offer to participate in working groups, consultations etc.
• Increase our engagement with the Treasury
• Build upon our dialogue with the Cabinet Office of the Third Sector and act upon natural linkages with acevo as they arise
• Strengthen our engagement with, and understanding of, other agencies and funding streams procuring employment related services, such as the LSC, Local Authorities, ESF and RDAs
• Maintain and build upon our links with CESI. Extend our “thought leadership” reputation through strategic relationship with “Think Tanks” such as Social Market Foundation, IPPR, Fabian Society
• Create an active cross fertilisation of ideas through a “seeing is believing” approach to sharing of good practice across sectors

Membership

The membership has grown considerably in the past year and is expected to continue to grow. Our ambition is that the Association is in a position to support an appropriate infrastructure by the mid part of the year. In the meantime it remains necessary for membership support activity to be carried out by the Policy Adviser and the Board. In order to grow in a manageable way it will be necessary:

• To agree the appropriate infrastructure as the first priority of the new Board
• For all Board members to play their part in achieving the shared and stated objectives
• To explore requirements for registration for VAT. Register as a priority if research suggests appropriate
• To design and implement and apportion “ownership” to a lead Board member of a membership recruitment process
• To maintain a constant review of other methods of income generation beyond membership subscriptions. Appoint a lead Board member
• To continue to investigate extending membership benefits through affiliation with other organisations. Appoint a lead Board member
• To maintain the involvement of the wider membership in the work of sub group activity
• To insist upon the mandatory completion of the Code of Conduct by all members
• To assess the frequency, content and location of the meetings to ensure these meet the needs of our membership
• To complete a written survey of members at least once per annum
• To undertake verbal contact with individual members at least three times per year