Flexible Routeways: Norfolk Programme delivered by Trobius
Trobius; Flexible Routeways; Level 1: Referral only; Level 2: Referral plus case worker support/mentoring; Level 3: Delivery; Further information
Trobius
Trobius is the contract holder for ‘Flexible Routeways Provision’ in Norfolk. Flexible Routeways is a Department of Work & Pensions (DWP) programme, essentially from Jobcentre Plus. Trobius will not be involved with large scale delivery and are very keen to involve the VCS (Voluntary and Community Sector). For this Norfolk contract, they require 1700 beneficiaries over 3 years, of which they expect 6-700 to come from the VCS.
Flexible Routeways
The Programme itself is job focused – the only people on this should be people ultimately looking for a job. This is reflected in fees offered by Trobius, roughly 30% up front and 70% upon successful completion of target outcomes – e.g. percentage of people in employment.
It is not funding for training, as such, but funding for support towards employment and reducing the barriers – this could be self confidence training but it could be more direct job searching support. If there are particular needs of the beneficiary such as ESOL, Skills for Life etc. that are better served by other specific programmes that already exist, then they will be directed to those programmes. However, if the need is for employment, then this is the programme. If there are any additional needs to be supported in that path to employment, then this programme will support, through mentoring, that beneficiary to achieve that goal.
Essentially there are 3 levels of service they require, and will pay for, from the VCS:
Level 1: Referral only
- For any VCS group who has service users/volunteers who want to get into employment, that VCS group can refer that individual to Trobius.
- These VCS groups at level 1 will be small or dealing in a specialism that is not in work focused.
- This is a great opportunity for those groups to a) support their service users into employment, b) contribute to the wider strategies and c) earn income from this.
- Typical payment of £30-40 per referral.
Level 2: Referral plus case worker support/mentoring
- An individual that is referred to Trobius may require additional case worker support/mentoring if it is that they have a special need, whether substance dependency, physical disability etc. The organisation will already be offering such support and will need to be continued in the ’level 3’ employment activity stage. Payments will be made to that referring organisation to enable this.
- In this instance, a payment will be made to the VCS organisation for a) the referral and b) to support/mentor that individual in the employment activity that will be delivered by a level 3 organisation – that is an organisation that will be delivering the actual job support activity.
- At level 2, the organisation would not need to deliver any such employment support activity, they would just need to refer and provide specific support/mentoring for that individual.
- Typical payment = up to £200, depending on the individuals’ needs and resources required.
Level 3: Delivery
- These organisations are typically large VCS organisations used to delivering such activity. They will deliver the actual job support activity.
- Delivery itself will be a minimum of 1 week and a maximum of 26, with 13 seen as a typical amount.
- Delivery will typically be 1:1, handholding and support into employment.
- Volunteers are permitted to deliver this job support activity.
- Named case workers will be required to deliver this support – these individuals will be need to be IAG qualified with MATRIX also seen as vital for the organisation itself. These caseworkers will need to be embedded in the community they are looking to support and able to fulfil the other roles of case worker on this programme as regards administrational requirements and to undertake training delivered by Trobius to induct them into the processes.
- If it is that an organisation would like to do this but are not considered, at this stage, able to do so, capacity-building support is available by Trobius to get them to this level.
- Typical payment is £500-550, depending on the proposed activity.
Further information
Email: Dan Close
