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DRIVING INNOVATION IN

EMPLOYMENT SERVICES

Linda Sian (Enterprise Director)

Iain Lockhart(Head of Programmes)

VISION & VALUES

Values

“To transform people’s lives and business performance” through Skills, Employment, Innovation & Enterprise in a Changing World.”

Vision

Skills, Employment, Innovation & Enterprise in a Changing World

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ENTERPRISE DIVISION

• NEA – 3 Regions, across the Country

• Set up over 1600 new Business Start ups over the last 12 months.

• Retained over 6 months still trading over 80%

• INNOVATION IS THE KEY TO OUR SUCCESS

HOW?

• Understand your Target Market

• Tailor your products

• Mentorhive ( Mentoring Database)

• Workshops (DYE, introduction to Business Start ups)

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Innovation

• Innovation – Europe

• Skills Division

• Employability Division

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• Client: De Amp & Norner (Norway)

• Building sector uses 40% of Europe’s energy.

• Passive techniques such as thermal mass offer 50% energy saving, but causes echoes.

• Urgent and growing need for a low cost, high performance acoustic absorber.

• Ixion authored proposal & secured €1.2m EC funding for ARU & industrial consortia

• Creating Jobs through Innovation.

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• Ixion’s Welfare Applied Positive Psychology is an advisor course created in conjunction with Anglia Ruskin University to disseminate the application of scientifically-proven psychological techniques to enable welfare advisors to greatly improve “Into Work” and “Sustained Employment” outcomes.

• Maximises unemployed client engagement and capacity to change.

• Reduces staff “burn-out”

• Changes clients’ mind-set & mental toughness to improve ‘into work’ outcomes.

• Improves employment advisors’ communication & effectiveness

• “WAPP” is based on four building blocks developed to help non-psychologists to use cutting edge techniques

“The Customers taking part reported significantly decreased anxiety and depression, were more positive about the skills they have, more positive in presenting themselves to an employer and more positive about their ability to transition and to sustain work.”

The Journal of Occupational Psychology, Employment & Disability; An overview of solutions-focused techniques (the key component of WAPP) and their application, as researched by DWP in an “employment agency intervention” context (78% of clients completed this voluntary course):

Do you have any questions?

Q & A Session