Last week, Partners in Bristol (PiB) were proud to welcome representatives from 10 Downing Street, the Cabinet Office, and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to The Launchpad at The Galleries. Their visit was a recognition of the powerful partnerships that have been built at Partners in Bristol and the positive impact these collaborations have on transforming local lives.
The visitors included Jo Davis and Mike Page from the DWP, along with Rachel Statham, Victoria Inchley, Madalena Leao, and Alexander Cooksley from No. 10 and the Cabinet Office. They visited The Launchpad in order to learn more about how PiB’s innovative approach consistently delivers some of the highest referral conversion and into-work rates in the country.
Rob Hazelton, Managing Director of Partners in Bristol, opened the visit with a warm welcome and an overview of PiB’s services, highlighting their role as a trusted “one-stop-shop” for learners and job seekers alike.
Visitors were keen to hear the stats behind the success, from the number of monthly walk-ins (around 200) to the scale of referrals and the strength of their triage model, which the DWP team highlighted as a key local asset.
Speaking of the stellar partnerships between Partners in Bristol and the DWP, Jo Davis, Partnership Team Leader for Avon, Somerset and Gloucestershire (DWP)
commented: “I’ve looked after partnerships in this district for quite a few years now and what is really key is us having excellent relationships with the college and Partners in Bristol, working with Bristol City Council and all of those other providers that give a wraparound support to our customers.
“At the DWP, we’re so grateful for The Launchpad being funded by Partners in Bristol/City of Bristol College and Bristol City Council because it gives us somewhere to sign post our customers that need a little bit more wrap around support. This helps the types of customers that we have that don’t necessarily fit with walking into our job centres as they feel much more comfortable coming into a place like this.
“Because we’ve got the foundation with this partnership, we can just pick up the phone and have a conversation to discuss what we can do about big campaigns. I just don’t know how other areas function without relationships like we do because that’s key.”
Mike Page, Jobcentre Plus Service Leader for Avon, Somerset and Gloucestershire (DWP) added: “We’re really proud of this; we’ve visited The Launchpad a few times and we’ve brought our permanent secretary here, we even had a lady over from Australia who heads up some employment services over there. We were keen to share some things that we do, particularly demonstrating the partnerships working well.”
Viaceslav Senec, SWAP Executive (DWP) was on hand to shed some light on SWAPs (Sector-based Work Academy Programmes). He commented: “SWAPs are a DWP product which are funded by the Department for Education and the idea behind them is to support Job Centre customers and unemployed individuals into work.
“All SWAPs work in the way that you need three crucial elements; there needs to be employability training or personal development modules involved as well and work experience and a guaranteed interview with an employer.
“The main purpose is to offer employability training to our customers, to help them get fully trained and prepared for interviews, practice CVs, have an interview with an employer and get an employer.”
He moved on to talk about the relationship between the DWP and PiB, saying: “As one of our key providers, PIB delivers tailored employability training to the local community. They are truly dedicated to offering outstanding customer service.
“To enhance our services, we have built a strong partnership with Partners in Bristol. To ensure our customers receive top-notch services, we hold weekly virtual and in-person meetings to discuss course performance, employment outcomes, quality of referrals, and solutions to any challenges we face.
“We are currently collaborating with the Building Bristol and a major construction development company to provide work experience training. It was incredible to witness how various organisations are working together towards a common objective, merging the job opportunities offered by the DWP, the employability training provided by PIB, and the emphasis on social values highlighted by Building Bristol and Sir Robert McAlpine.
“Learners spent a week at the University of Bristol campus construction site, where they participated in a site tour, shadowed various professions, and gained valuable work experience. We have received positive feedback from our customers, who noted that the training was highly engaging and provided real on-site experience.
“We are continuously working to enhance the quality of our combined services to achieve excellent outcomes.”
In order to discover how you or your organisation can join forces with Partners in Bristol and benefit from their services, simply get in touch to uncover opportunities and how you can make lasting change across Bristol. Visit www.partnersinbristol.co.uk or drop by The Launchpad to speak with their team.
