Fair Start Scotland: evaluation report 4 - local area case studies - year 3

Appendix 2 Survey analysis

This appendix includes the analysis from our survey of Fair Start Scotland frontline staff – an online survey of Fair Start Scotland frontline staff across all nine contract case study areas, and survey of Jobcentre Plus frontline staff – online survey of Jobcentre Plus Work Coaches across Scotland. We have also analysed these results in comparison with the results from the original survey in 2017.

2021 Survey of Fair Start Scotland Providers

As part of Year 3 of the Fair Start Scotland Evaluation, we conducted a survey of Fair Start Scotland providers. 147 Surveys were completed. The responses are summarised below.

The respondents work in the following contract areas:

Contract area	Responses	Contract area	Responses
East	30	North East	8
Forth Valley	9	South West	16
Glasgow	14	Tayside	25
Highlands and Islands	12	West	10
Lanarkshire	23	Grand Total	147

The respondents work for the following providers:

Provider	Responses	Provider	Responses
20/20 Clearview	2	Start Scotland	33
Aberdeen Foyer	6	Stirling Council	1
Argyll & Bute Council	2	The Lennox Partnership	8
Clackmannanshire Council	3	The Wise Group	5
Enable Scotland	5	Third Sector Hebrides	1
Falkirk Council	5	Triage Central	17
Other (please specify)	1	Working Links	1
Remploy	46	People Plus	11
Grand Total	147

Key findings

Fair Start Scotland objectives

62% of respondents strongly agreed and 37% agreed that they were clear about what Fair Start Scotland was trying to achieve.

Describing Fair Start Scotland

64% of respondents strongly agreed and 26% agreed that they could describe to participants what Fair Start Scotland will be like and how it can help them.

The referral process

64% of respondents either agreed or strongly agreed that the referral process was working well. 28% disagreed and 8% strongly disagreed.

Appropriate participants

61% of respondents either agreed or strongly agreed that the participants were appropriate for the service. 93% in the South West agreed. 37% disagreed and 2% strongly disagreed. 79% in Glasgow disagreed.

Participants’ clarity about service

57% of respondents either agreed or strongly agreed that when the participants arrive, they are clear about Fair Start Scotland and what it will offer them. 37% disagreed and 6% strongly disagreed.

Raising ideas

34% of respondents strongly agreed and 47% agreed that they knew how to raise any ideas about the Fair Start Scotland Service and its impact, giving a total of 81% of respondents who knew how to raise ideas - evenly split across all regions.

Implementation information

35% of respondents strongly agreed and 61% agreed that they have been well informed about the implementation of Fair Start Scotland.

Commitment

74% of respondents strongly agreed and 25% agreed that they felt very committed to making the Fair Start Scotland service a success.

Success

58% of respondents strongly agreed and 40% agreed that in general, Fair Start Scotland has been successful in helping people move into work.

What’s working well?

When asked to identify which features of the programme were working well, respondents highlighted a number of key features:

• Improved relationships with Jobcentre Plus work coaches
• Strong employer relationships, leading to a good range of job opportunities
• Good relationships with local partners, including the local authority and local third sector partners
• Good working relationships with participants, ensuring that there is understanding of their barriers to employment and working with them to overcome these
• Strong leadership from managers
• In-work support
• The ability to provide access to specialist support provision such as health and wellbeing or support for mental health

What’s challenging?

When asked to identify the most significant challenges, a number of issues were commonly cited by frontline staff responding to the survey, including:

• Insufficient or inappropriate referrals from Jobcentre Plus, for example clients being referred who have been unemployed for over 5 years or who are unable to work a minimum of 16 hours per week due to health issues
• Participant behaviours and (un) willingness to work (Covid-19/lockdown has had a major impact on people's mental health and wanting to get out and find work)
• Lack of public awareness of Fair Start - no identity and "brand" not marketed strongly or powerfully enough at a national level initially
• Lack of employment opportunities
• Covid-19 pandemic and the restriction arising out of the various lockdowns

Comparison between 2017 and 2021

This section provides a comparison between the 2017 and 2021 surveys. In 2017, 172 frontline staff participated in the survey and in 2021, 147 frontline staff participated in the survey

Key findings

Fair Start Scotland objectives

94% of respondents to the 2017 survey of Provider Frontline staff indicated they were clear about what Fair Start Scotland was trying to achieve. By 2021, this decreased to 89%.

Describing Fair Start Scotland

98% of respondents to the 2017 survey of Provider Frontline staff indicated that they could describe to participants what Fair Start Scotland would be like and how it could help them. By 2021, this increased slightly to 99%.

Referral process

43% of respondents to the 2017 survey of Provider Frontline staff indicated that the referral process was working well. By 2021, this increased to 64%.

Suitability of referrals

59% of respondents to the 2017 survey of Provider Frontline staff indicated that participants referred to Fair Start Scotland were appropriate for the service. By 2021, this had slightly increased to 61%.

Participant understanding

20% of respondents to the 2017 survey of Provider Frontline staff indicated that when referred participants arrive, they are clear about the Fair Start Scotland service. By 2021, this increased significantly to 57%.

Working with Jobcentre Plus Work Coaches

74% of respondents to the 2017 survey of Provider Frontline staff indicated that they were working well with Job Centre Plus work coaches. By 2021, this increased to 85%.

Raising ideas

71% of respondents to the 2017 survey of Provider Frontline staff indicated that they knew how to raise any ideas they had for improving the Fair Start Scotland service. By 2021, this increased to 81%.

Commitment

88% of respondents to the 2017 survey of Provider Frontline staff indicated that they feel committed to making Fair Start Scotland a success. By 2021, this increased to 99%.

Survey of Job Centre Plus Work Coaches

As part of Year 3 of the Fair Start Scotland Evaluation, we conducted a survey of Job Centre Plus Work Coaches. 96 surveys were completed. The responses are summarised below.

Key findings

Fair Start Scotland objectives

60% of respondents agreed and 33% strongly agreed that they were clear about what Fair Start Scotland was trying to achieve.

Describing Fair Start Scotland

62% of respondents agreed and 33% strongly agreed that they could describe to participants what Fair Start Scotland will be like and how it can help them.

Referring clients

55% of respondents agreed and 37% strongly agreed that they knew what kind of client they should be referring to Fair Start Scotland.

Implementation

54% of respondents agreed and 24% strongly agreed that they have been well informed about the implementation of Fair Start Scotland. When asked what was working well, a few of these respondents backed up their response with the following statements:

• Plenty of information available if I need to clarify or query an issue
• Excellent feedback from the hardest to help claimants for one of the providers available in our local area
• Easy to interact with/find out information re claimants’ progress.

20% of respondents disagreed and 2% strongly disagreed that they had been well informed about implementation of Fair Start Scotland. When asked what was the most challenging, the respondents cited a lack of information flow from Fair Start Scotland staff to work coaches, and virtual engagement due to the pandemic.

Referral process

51% of respondents agreed and 27% strongly agreed that the referral process is working well. When asked what was working well, respondents referred to the speed of the referral process; and initial assessment identifying appropriate candidates.

20% disagreed and 2% strongly disagreed. When asked what was not working well, respondents referred to a lack of feedback from Fair Start Scotland about whether a claimant is starting provision; and concerns that Fair Start Scotland are refusing referrals despite them already have been assessed as appropriate by Jobcentre Plus staff.

Accessibility

54% of respondents agreed and 12% strongly agreed that it was easy to encourage people to take part in the Fair Start Scotland service. Some respondents referred in particular to the tailored nature of the support, and a sense that customers feel they are receiving more help and are cared about.

32% disagreed and 2% strongly disagreed. When asked to explain why, they referred to Covid-19 restrictions reducing people’s willingness to leave their home; ESOL language barriers; travel barriers; and the non-mandatory nature of the provision.

Working with local providers

62% of respondents agreed and 14% strongly agreed that they are working well with their local provider representatives. 16% disagreed and 8% strongly disagreed. These respondents highlighted concerns about confusion around who the point of contact is locally; a general lack of contact with the local provider; and a lack of feedback from the provider.

Raising ideas

34% of respondents agreed and 7% strongly agreed that they know how to raise ideas to improve the Fair Start Scotland service. 42% disagreed and 17% strongly disagreed.

Commitment

57% of respondents agreed and 33% strongly agreed that they feel committed to making Fair Start Scotland a success. 7% disagreed and 3% strongly disagreed.

Comparison between 2017 and 2021

This section provides a comparison between the 2017 and 2021 surveys. In 2017, 90 Jobcentre Plus staff participated in the survey and in 2021, 96 Jobcentre Plus staff participated in the survey

Key findings

Fair Start Scotland objectives

100% of respondents to the 2017 survey of Jobcentre Plus frontline staff indicated that they were clear about what Fair Start Scotland was trying to achieve. By 2021, this decreased to 93%.

Describing Fair Start Scotland

98% of respondents to the 2017 survey of Jobcentre Plus frontline staff indicated that they could describe to participants what Fair Start Scotland would be like and how it could help them. By 2021, this decreased slightly to 95%.

Implementation information

91% of respondents to the 2017 survey of Jobcentre Plus frontline staff indicated that they have been well informed about the implementation of Fair Start Scotland. By 2021, this decreased to 78%.

Referral process

83% of respondents to the 2017 survey of Jobcentre Plus frontline staff indicated that the referral process was working well. By 2021, this had decreased to 78%.

Accessibility

80% of respondents to the 2017 survey of Jobcentre Plus frontline staff indicated that it was easy to encourage people to take part in the Fair Start Scotland Service. By 2021, this decreased to 66%.

Working with local providers

92% of respondents to the 2017 survey of Jobcentre Plus frontline staff indicated that they were working well with their local provide representative. By 2021, this decreased to 76%.

Commitment

99% of respondents to the 2017 survey of Jobcentre Plus frontline staff indicated that they feel committed to making Fair Start Scotland a success. By 2021, this decreased to 90%.