STW TR 2014

Trustees Report - 2014 Developing and delivering training programmes and creating employment opportunities for the local community.

29,565 in Work since 1999

stepstowork.co.uk

Steps to Work - Trustees Report- 2014

Steps to Work THE TRUSTEES ARE PLEASED TO PRESENT THEIR ANNUAL REPORT TOGETHER WITH CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF THE CHARITY FOR THE YEAR ENDING 31ST MARCH 2014.

Steps to Work (Walsall) Ltd is a registered charity formed in 1999, Charity No.1100403 and a Company Limited by guarantee constituted under the Companies Act 2006 and registered in England and Wales, Company Registration 3738249.

The registered office of the charity is Challenge Building, Hatherton Road, Walsall, WS1 1XS.

The charity operates a wholly owned subsidiary, Starting Point Recruitment Ltd, which is a Company Limited by shares and registered in England and Wales, Registration No. 4560776, formed in October 2002. The registered office for Starting Point Recruitment is the same as that of the charity.

As an organisation we are committed to equality and diversity and to a working environment that is free from any form of discrimination on the grounds of colour, ethnicity, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or disability.

OUR VALUES •

•

•

We will operate in accordance with the highest standards in all relationships with customers, suppliers, stakeholders and the community; We will ensure everyone who comes to us leaves us clearly understanding their next steps; and We will go the extra mile to help people get into and stay in work

OUR VISION • Our vision is to make a positive contribution to the people and businesses in our area

OUR MISSION

We will fulfil our vision by helping individual people, businesses and communities achieve their potential by: • Delivering excellent advice, guidance, training and employment related services in partnership with other agencies; • Securing appropriate resources; and • Being innovative and responsive to their needs

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The Company OUR OBJECTIVES FOR PUBLIC BENEFIT

The company’s objectives are to promote all and any charitable purposes for the benefit of those who are unemployed. Offering practical advice, personal support and any charitable purpose, for the benefit of those who are employed.

We offer training, development and tuition (in the case of the stated objectives) within the Metropolitan Borough of Walsall and all adjacent areas, as well as other areas designated from time to time by the Trustees.

In setting our objectives and planning our activities, our Trustees have given careful consideration to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit.

Underlying our main objectives has been the need to generate external funding to support our activities while providing a high quality service to our customers and stakeholders.

Throughout the existence of the company we have been reliant upon funding from external sources, secured through successful applications to the Department of Work and Pensions, Skills Funding Agency, European Social Fund, Neighbourhood Renewal Fund and Working Neighbourhood Fund.

A FULL LIST OF FUNDING PARTNERS IS PROVIDED ON PAGE 39

The impact as an organisation on providing public benefit will be seen from the outputs and outcomes, measured or non-quantifiable, which arise from our work, these include: • Assisting large numbers of people disadvantaged in the labour market to improve their skills through advice, guidance and training, examples of which are detailed further in this report.

Name: Pauline Kenderdine Comments: Steps to Work give you all the help you need with job search, internet training and advice.

It also helps to meet new friends and you can visit as many times as you want. The staff are very friendly.

• Developing and delivering projects and programmes that provide benefits to individuals and groups that meet the company’s overall aims and mission.

• Providing access to support regardless of people’s ability to pay for the service and where private benefits are incidental.

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Steps to Work - Trustees Report- 2014

STEPS TO WORK DELIVERS THROUGH ITS VARIOUS SITES PROJECTS AND PROGRAMMES WHICH AIM TO:

• DEVELOP PEOPLE’S SKILLS •

PROMOTE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES TO PEOPLE WHO FACE SPECIFIC DISADVANTAGE IN THE LABOUR MARKET

During 2013-2014, Steps to Work unfortunately had to close delivery at 3 sites due to funding coming to a close across various streams.

Delivery was undertaken through six sites, five in Walsall and one in Wolverhampton over this financial year.

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Townend House Townend House offices opened in August 2006, situated on Park Street within the Town Centre of Walsall. We occupy premises on the third and fifth floors for delivery with some corporate finance & administration functions on part of floor seven. Monday to Friday, Steps to Work deliver training sessions, supports customers with interviews, employer engagement, sales administration, ICT and customer awareness training for the DWP Work Programme.

Work on the Horizon Initially commenced in 2003 as an outreach service based on the Mobile Information Unit the premises at 1 Queens Parade, High Street, Bloxwich, Walsall, West Midlands became fully operational in June 2005 serving the residents of the Bloxwich and Blakenall area.

Darlaston JET The Darlaston Multi Agency One Stop Shop, or Darlaston JET as it is better known, has been in operation since August 2008 and is based at 40 King Street, Darlaston, WS10 8DE. The shop serves Darlaston South, Bentley and Darlaston North, Willenhall North, Willenhall South and Short Heath.

Caldmore One Stop Shop Caldmore One Stop Shop is based at 14 Caldmore Green, Walsall, WS1 3RL. The premises opened its doors to customers in February 2011, although the project itself commenced in April 2010, running from the Mobile Information Unit. The project predominantly covers the areas of Caldmore, Palfrey and Pleck. In addition the shop operates a pilot project entitled Support for Emerging Minority Groups. As ERDF funding came to an end in December 2013, this project and site unfortunately closed in March 2014.

Walsall One Stop Shop The Walsall One Stop commenced delivery on the 1st April 2010; it is delivered from existing premises located within Challenge Building, Hatherton Road, Walsall, WS1 1XS. The primary focus is workless residents from the most deprived ward and neighbourhood areas in the Walsall Borough, namely St Matthews. As ERDF funding came to an end in December 2013, this project and site unfortunately closed in March 2014.

St Johns House (Wolverhampton) The Wolverhampton Office was established in September 2005. It is located in St John’s House, Church Street, Wolverhampton, WV2 4BH. As funding came to an end in January 2013, this project and site unfortunately closed in February 2014.

www.stepstowork.co.uk - Tel: 01922 627555

TRUSTEES

SENIOR MANAGEMENT TEAM

Councillor Tom Ansell Mrs Vera Birch Miss Susan Wakeman Ms Carole Wildman Mr Stephen Preston Mrs Mary Clarke Mr Robert Thomas Mr David Brown Mr Manjit Singh Jhooty Mrs Ravinder Sahota Mr Patrick Newland Mr David Bassett Mrs Susan Wood Mr Michael Hew Mohammed Arif

Councillor - Resigned 07/06/2013 Community Resident Director of Human Resources Director of Regeneration and Development Managing Director Community Resident - Resigned 19/09/2013 Community Resident Community Resident - Resigned 21/02/2014 Managing Director Owner/Director Managing Director Director (Chair) Community Resident Chief Executive Councillor - Appointed 10/07/2013

John Brewer Susan Brookes Anne Marie Ruddy Trevor Codner Crystina Woolley

Chief Executive Officer Finance & Administration Manager Senior Manager (DWP) Senior Manager (Wolverhampton) Business Continuity Information & Compliance Manager

CORPORATE TEAM Patricia Hatton Katie Sohal Raj Sarai David Jones

Business Development Manager Marketing Officer Personnel Officer Health & Safety Officer

Content 2

Company overview

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Chairmans Statement

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Structure, Governance and Management

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Chief Executive’s Statement

10 Delivering Public Benefit Programme Overviews, Customer Journeys 24 Our commitment to ISO 28 Employer Engagement 31 Highlights of the year 32 Financial Review 33 Facts & Stats 34 Summarised Accounts 36 Risks and Opportunities 38 The Future 39 Partnerships and Funding Partners

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Steps to Work - Trustees Report- 2014

Chairs Statement 2013/2014 has been an eventful period with many changes within the organisation, I myself have taken over from Carole Wildman of Walsall Housing Group who had done an excellent job of chairing the organisation over the previous years.

Our focus this year has been on developing our future strategic plan and assessing our ability to secure, manage and effectively deliver on potential major contracts in the future. The senior management team have been charged with examining the whole operation including some critical evaluation of what is delivering our aims and objectives and what needs changing.

Work has commenced to secure potential finance to support growth in the future and much work has been required to prepare information in a format that potential investors may require. We have developed a new partnership brochure explaining how we will work in the future with our partners along with undertaking an overhaul of our ICT system and becoming a ‘Leader in Diversity’ as part of our preparations for the future.

The last year has been very much business as normal within Steps to Work with projects finishing, new opportunities starting and challenges being presented daily each needing careful financial management and output management to maintain our effective contribution to the local economy.

Within the next few pages we will outline some of the stories, achievements and moments that have made 2013/2014 such an eventful year. I hope that you will join with me in reflecting on the past success and how we will support people and business in the areas we operate to develop and positively contribute to the local economy.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank my fellow Trustees for the time and effort they have put in to support the whole team in making this another successful year.

David Bassett

CREATING AMAZING OPPORTUNITIES FOR LOCAL PEOPLE AND LOCAL BUSINESS’S

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Name: David Bassett Steps to Work Limited: Chairman

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Structure, Governance and Management APPOINTMENT OF TRUSTEES

New Trustees are appointed through a process of open recruitment.

To become a Trustee candidates must either live or work within the geographical area of operation (Walsall and Wolverhampton) and have an empathy with the work being undertaken by Steps to Work. Job descriptions and job specifications are produced for the main key roles and for general Trustees. Appointments are made on the basis of individual skills and abilities.

A Trustees’ handbook is used which outlines the role of the Trustee along with a Trustees’ induction book which provides further information about the role and its responsibilities. A budget is set aside to develop board members and provide training where required ensuring that all Trustees’ have a common understanding and ethos.

To ensure that wholesale changes are not made, a rolling programme of annual changes has been agreed whereby all members will, over a three year programme, be subject to possible retirement.

Expressions of interest for potential new Trustees are now sought between July and September each year. Anyone expressing an interest will be given a copy of the job description and person specification and asked to complete an application form by an agreed closing date.

Interviews will be set up with a panel of existing Trustees and the Company Secretary who will take account of the candidate’s skills and abilities as the basis for a recommendation to the Annual General Meeting held in September each year.

GOVERNING DOCUMENT

The company is registered as a Company Limited by guarantee in England and Wales (Ref: 3738249) and is governed in accordance with its Memorandum and Articles of Association.

ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE

The Board of Trustees meets bi-monthly and receives reports from the Chief Executive on strategic and operational issues.

Each report contains historical performance data and a series of recommendations prepared by the Chief Executive on which the board are required to make decisions.

To allow for a smooth and efficient operation, many of the day-to-day decisions are delegated to the Chief Executive. With the support of the Senior Management Team, the Chief Executive will take decisions in line with the company’s Memorandum and Articles of Association, relevant agreed policies and procedures which cover financial transactions, personnel and marketing activities, along with contractual obligations outlined within Service Level Agreements (SLAs) and contracts.

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES TO PROVIDE PUBLIC BENEFIT

Steps to Work (Walsall) Limited, through its activities aims to: • Establish and operate a multi-functional employment and training programme serving the Black Country and surrounding areas.

• Provide employment and training opportunities for employed and unemployed residents of the Black Country, in particular those in Walsall and Wolverhampton.

• Develop partnership arrangements with other local organisations to support the employment and training of local people.

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Steps to Work - Trustees Report- 2014

Welcome to the 2013/2014 Trustees Report for Steps to Work (Walsall) Ltd.

Chief Executives Statement

This year has been a challenging one for Steps to Work as an organisation. We have seen many changes in terms of both our staff and our contracts. It is with regret that we have had to take the decision to close two of our sites, the first in Wolverhampton and the other in Caldmore, Walsall, as a result of contracts coming to the end of their funding period.

With every downturn within the sector there are also positives. We have managed to secure a two year grant from the Big Lottery Fund to support one of our ‘One Stop’ employment shops in Bloxwich. ‘Work on the Horizon’ in Bloxwich has secured its future and will continue to operate as a well-used and wellappreciated service in the area. In addition, our Darlaston JET ‘One Stop’ employment shop has remained functional and has continued to provide an extremely successful service in Darlaston town centre and the surrounding areas of Moxley and Bentley through its outreach service.

Challenge Building in Walsall Town Centre is now acting as a Training Centre, primarily for 16-24 years olds as we build our Apprenticeship and Traineeship models along with our NEETS provision, supplying a much-needed educational and job entry service to customers of this age group.

This year has also seen changes to the staffing structure with some staff leaving the organisation, as a result of downsizing and some new staff joining the organisation as a result of new opportunities as we re-focus the future work strategy.

This year has also been an interesting year in terms of looking at our future investment, we have spent many hours working on a new strategic plan for the organisation and looking at how we can make the organisation more contractready for the future.

Continuing to work as a Sub Contractor for several organisations has brought its own challenges. As an independent small Charity we have been able to manage the cash flow on a payment by results basis and have managed to maintain our reserves whilst ensuring a positive cash flow position. The main challenges we have faced are working with so many Prime Contractors to ensure that we have a cash flow that we can continue to work with.

I am pleased to bring to you this Trustees Annual Report for 2013/2014 showcasing so many of our achievements this year. On page 38 we provide a look into our future through our new Strategic Plan, agreed by our Senior Management and Board of Trustees. We believe we will meet our challenges positively going forward.

Name: John Brewer Steps to Work Limited: Chief Executive Officer

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I hope you enjoy reading through this year’s report.

www.stepstowork.co.uk - Tel: 01922 627555

Name: Kurt Walker Comments: I felt I learnt a lot on this course about things that I needed to improve. They helped me a lot and explained everything in detail. I’m happy with everything I have achieved on this course.

Name: Philip Davies Comments: Having recently been made redundant, I registered with Darlaston JET to assist me in finding new employment. The professional and friendly service provided by all the staff surpassed my expectations and I am pleased to inform those concerned that this resulted in me finding new employment. A great big thank you to all the staff at Darlaston JET.

Name: Glynis Bant Comments: The course was thoroughly enjoyable, I never realised how difficult parts were i.e. CV and application forms. I have gained confidence and knowledge, they were fabulous.

Name: Mahmud Iqbal Comments: I attended Steps to Work to do my job search on a daily basis. Steps to Work is a welcoming place and I enjoy coming here. All the staff are great and very helpful.

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Steps to Work - Trustees Report- 2014

Delivering Public Benefit THIS SECTION DESCRIBES HOW THE ACTIVITIES AND SERVICES WE DELIVER MEET THE VARIOUS PRINCIPLES OF ‘PUBLIC BENEFIT’ AS SET OUT BY THE CHARITIES COMMISSION AND IN SO DOING PROVIDES REAL, MEASURABLE BENEFITS FOR THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN SUPPORTED BY US.

PRINCIPAL 1:

There must be an identifiable benefit or benefits The identifiable benefit or benefits are recognised from the large numbers of people, experiencing disadvantage in the labour market (our customers) who we have assisted to improve their skills, qualifications and employment prospects (Principle 1a) by providing advice, guidance and training through programmes such as:• Work Programme • Work on the Horizon (New Horizons Community Enterprise) • Darlaston JET • Programmes to assist those not in Employment, Education or Training (NEETs, Apprenticeships, Traineeships) • Other projects designed to assist employees and employers

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The benefits of providing opportunities for people to overcome their personal barriers, and improve their skills and employment prospects, are via the delivery of the above programmes. This directly relates to the aims, objectives and mission of the Charity (Principle 1b) as stated.

locations. We encourage all of our customers and staff to use public transport wherever possible to minimise the environmental impact of any journeys they make.

Delivering high quality, inclusive services that benefit our customers and, by default, the wider community, is wholly integral to the work we do as a Charity.

PRINCIPAL 2:

Further details of the various programmes and projects we have delivered, are provided in the summaries of various projects and in the case studies of some of the customers we have supported, as featured throughout this report.

The services we deliver for the benefit of our customers are balanced against any detriment or harm to individuals, groups or the environment (Principle 1c).

The Trustees have examined the programmes, projects and actions, which are undertaken by the organisation and believe that its work delivers net benefit to the public. Through its work of assisting people disadvantaged in the labour market, customers can gain the skills and knowledge to access sustainable employment and/or improve their skills.

The Trustees have reviewed their actions and believe that any detriment or harm caused through its actions are minimal and would not outweigh any potential benefit.

The organisation has, as part of its commitment to reducing any potential detriment or harm, developed strategies, policies and actions that minimise any damage to the environment. The strategic principles are published through our sustainable development policy and environmental policy statements.

We work to ensure that actions that could be seen to be dangerous or damaging to mental or physical health, or that encourage or promote violence or hatred towards others are outlined within our Equality and Diversity strategy, policies and procedures. External recognition is seen through our award of Committed to Equality standard, Investors in People Gold Award and our award of the Disability two ticks.

Practical examples are seen through our strict health and safety procedures which we have in place to ensure the safety and welfare of all customers, staff and visitors. This includes any activity that takes place on our own premises or when undertaking activities in other

Benefit must be to the public, or a section of the public

In line with our aims and objectives, the programmes we have delivered have been targeted predominantly at the unemployed resident populations (our customers) of Walsall and Wolverhampton (Principle 2a) as much of the funding provided to support our work is geographically targeted, in accordance with the service level agreements we operate.

We consider that such a group represents an important section of the they include individuals with significant barriers and great levels of need.

Customers therefore require specific help and support to overcome barriers and realise their potential. We believe that by enabling our customers to overcome disadvantage, we are helping to ensure that they are able to lead fulfilling lives and contribute positively, both economically and socially, to the communities in which they live.

As a Charity, our aim is to provide benefit to the widest range of people.

Therefore, the organisation takes a pro active response to developing and delivering a diverse range of projects, which benefit our target group. Benefit is not unreasonably restricted by geographical restrictions, or by the ability of an individual to pay for a service (Principle 2b). The only constraints within individual programmes are where external restrictions apply.

No person is restricted from benefiting because they are in poverty, as most courses and programmes are externally funded (Principle 2c).

In fact, the vast majority of the customers we support are likely to be definable as ‘being in poverty’. This is based on the economic, social and personal barriers they face. No person or organisation will accrue any private benefits, as a result of the support and assistance we have provided (Principle 2d).

The graphs on page 33 show the background of the customers we have assisted in the financial year 2013/14. The breakdown of unemployed customers by their own definition, assisted by Steps to Work, are detailed by gender, ethnic origin, age and disability.

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Steps to Work - Trustees Report- 2014

Summary of Programmes Delivered during 2013-2014 THE FOLLOWING PAGES PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE MANY DIFFERENT PROJECTS AND PROGRAMMES CONTRACTED TO STEPS TO WORK DURING THIS FINANCIAL YEAR.

All have enabled us to achieve our aims and objectives to deliver a service to our customers and the wider community. The summaries shown allow you to observe the level and scope of provision Steps to Work are able to offer. There are many case studies of customers and partnerships we have successfully built over the last twelve months.

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Multi Agency ‘One Stop’ Employment Shops ‘One Stop’

Steps to Work have operated a network of Multi Agency ‘One Stop’ Employment Shops’ in and around Walsall since 2005. Work on the Horizon opened its doors as the first, serving the customers of Bloxwich, one of the most deprived wards in Walsall.

Work on the Horizon became so successful that in 2007 Darlaston JET was launched, followed by Walsall ‘One Stop’ Shop in 2010 and finally Caldmore ‘One Stop’ shop officially opened in 2011 with the support of ERDF and Walsall Council funding.

In 2013 ERDF funding came to an end and unfortunately, no further funding was available to enable Steps to Work to continue to keep the doors open in Walsall Town Centre and Caldmore.

Employment shops

However we have been able to support and signpost our customers from these shops to other providers and the ‘One Stop’ shops at Work on the Horizon and Darlaston JET.

DURING 2013- 2014 THE MULTI AGENCY ‘ONE STOP’ SHOPS HAVE SUPPORTED; COSS

DJET

WOSS

WOTH

CV’s Compiled

283

204

365

389

New users

653

475

824

1,168

1,923

2,512

2,303

3,312

Individual Jobsearch sessions supported

Mobile Information Unit Out and about on Walsall with the MIU engaging with customers

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Steps to Work - Trustees Report- 2014

Work on the Horizon Steps to Work’s first One Stop Shop, Work on the Horizon, is based on Bloxwich High Street and has been in operation since 2005 serving the residents of North Walsall.

During 2013-2014 the shop was funded by ERDF, the View Fund, and Walsall Adult Community College. Since January 2014 Work on the Horizon has been solely funded by The Big Lottery Fund.

“We are delighted that Big Lottery Funding will enable us to continue to provide opportunities for the long-term unemployed, allowing people to make positive changes to their own lives for the next 2 years. We work with partners to make a difference in the local community and now have a resource that will allow us to deliver what the community demands” John Brewer, Chief Executive

The shop offers local residents support and assistance, with a range of services in order for them to source or gain qualifications and employment. Support includes Information Advice and Guidance, Adult Careers Advice, help with compiling CV’s and application forms, access to local vacancies, internet access computers, one to one job search support and regular job clubs. The shop also offers courses for Confidence & Motivation, Employability and introduction to Information Technology alongside information and guidance regarding external vocational courses.

In addition customers have access to outreach partners on a daily basis offering services from the premises including Jobcentre plus, Citizens Advice Bureau, Healthy Living, Stop Smoking, Walsall Adult Community College, Walsall College and more.

Paul Bailey worked as a Painter and Decorator for 25 years, however, due to an accident and ill health he was no longer able to return to his trade and had to re-think his future career plans. Paul always had an interest in computing and used his own funds to retrain in ICT and computer repairs. Paul also completed PTTLS Level 4 in order to teach and train others.

Name: Paul Bailey, Volunteer Comments: I have gained so much from volunteering at Work on the Horizon, it has inspired me to want to develop a new career in working with the unemployed on a permanent basis once I have completed my Level 4 Advice & Guidance.

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Paul found it very difficult in finding employment because of his lack of work experience in teaching and delivery. Needing experience to build up his CV Paul has worked with learners to gain a current work history.

Paul has been volunteering since January 2014 at Work on the Horizon supporting individuals mainly 50 plus or those who have little or no IT skills at the daily Job Club sessions. Paul shadows Tutors delivering employability and IT skills which has allowed him to get a feel for the role and what is involved. Steps to Work have been able to offer Paul extra courses and qualifications in Conflict Resolution Training and has received Careers Advice to set up training for Level 4 Advice & Guidance.

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Darlaston JET Darlaston JET (Jobs Education & Training) is situated within the main retail area of Darlaston in the borough of Walsall.

The main aim of the project is to offer a range of interventions in order to assist local residents in improving their employability skills and employment opportunities, whilst also assisting local companies with recruitment, signposting to support services and training. This is achieved through the ‘Multi Agency’ approach of working with partner organisations in order to offer services such as: For residents: Bespoke training, mentoring, C.V. compilation, interview techniques and financial support where appropriate.

For companies: In-house training, free vacancy advertising, compilation and delivery of application forms, use of interview rooms on site, pre-screening of applicants, introductions to other related organisations.

The project began in 2008 and covers a wide area of deprived wards, namely: Bentley and Darlaston North; Darlaston South; Short Heath; Willenhall North; Willenhall South.

During 2012-13 we have built on the previous year’s ‘outreach’ activities, and are now established in all of our wards, in particular the Bentley and Darlaston North and Willenhall North wards through our regular visits to ‘The Hub’ in Moxley.

Working and bringing up a young family can be very hard for most families.

After taking maternity leave from her Senior Care Assistant role, Gemma decided it would be better for her family if she gave up work and became a full time Mom whilst her husband Andrew worked and provided the family income.

With Andrew working night shifts and unsociable hours, he needed Gemma to look after their young family during the daytime. Gemma fell pregnant with her second child a year later and it made sense financially for her to continue to be a stay-at-home Mom as Childcare was too expensive.

“This wasn’t my first choice as I wanted to go back to work but it didn’t pay for me to have a job and put my children into childcare, my confidence and self-esteem was at an all-time low. I hated it” explained Gemma.

5 years have passed since the birth of their first child when husband Andrew was made redundant. Fortunately Andrew got back into work straight away with advice from Steps to Work. Once Andrew’s job and hours became stable, Gemma decided it was the right time to start looking for employment now the children had reached school age. Gemma started to attend Steps to Work in Walsall for advice and guidance in getting back into employment.

Name: Gemma Monoghan Comments: I was so relieved to find that I had finally been offered something. It was almost 18 months of hard work and constant job searching before the right job for me became available I am so happy to be working it’s great to pick up her first wage packet. I am spending the extra money in my purse and family trips out for the kids who are reaping the rewards now we are both working.

Gemma attended Moxley People’s Centre as a social way of meeting new people, boosting her confidence and selfesteem by talking to others who were in her position. Gemma spent a couple of hours a week looking for jobs and applying online, regularly visiting the Hub in Darlaston using job search facilities and ringing round care homes in the area looking for night shifts.

Gemma hard work started to pay off and was offered night shifts working for The Bush Care Home in Darlaston.

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Steps to Work - Trustees Report- 2014

Department for Work and Pensions The Work Programme

DWP

Steps to Work are now in year 4 of delivery of the Work Programme, part funded by the European Social Fund.

Significantly we have seen major welfare reforms introduced including ‘Bedroom tax’ and the introduction of Universal Job Match and the claimant commitment. Colleagues have been working closely with our customers to ensure that they are equipped with the skills they need to deal with the new regime.

Steps to Work have been delivering the Work Programme since 2011 and will continue to do as contracted under the Department for Work and Pensions until 2015.

The Work Programme represents a unique opportunity to transform lives and communities across the UK; an opportunity not only to support people into secure and lasting employment, but to make enormous inroads into eradicating child poverty and kick-starting social mobility. Steps to Work have engaged with 833 people across Walsall building on our success and previous experience in this market.

Individuals eligible for the Work Programme are referred by Jobcentre Plus to the Work Programme for flexible, tailored support to help them back to work. Participation on the programme is mandatory for the majority of customers, although some groups are able to volunteer.

Steps to Work are subcontractors of the Work Programme on behalf of EOS and 3SC group.

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Name: Cheryl Reid Comments: Being a single parent and looking for part-time work to fit around my son has been difficult but I’ve got there by filling the gaps in my C.V, volunteering and gaining an IT qualification, which has definitely helped me getting my admin and sales job at Wiltshire Farm Foods. I couldn’t have got this far without the help of Steps to Work helping and supporting me.

EOS

The delivery model for EOS is based on their contractual processes, the customer journey starts at a one to one initial contact officer’s attachment meeting and then the customer is assigned a personal coach who conducts further face to face, home visit or telephone interviews and agrees an action plan which is reviewed during a minimum contact of at least every 4 weeks.

The Job Seekers Allowance customers are mandated to take part in an awareness session, informing them about the Work Programme, fortnightly interventions, soft skills, taught job search, employability skills, work trials, placements internal and external accredited and non-accredited training, ICT training interview techniques, job matching and supported to apply for jobs.

When they have found a job, in work support is made available to help with the transition from benefit to work. Employment and Support Allowance customer cannot be mandated to take part in the activities but are strongly encouraged to so and have the same opportunities offered to them as the Job Seekers Allowance customers.

Part of the delivery model involves fast track to employment courses (FTTE) based around regular attendance by customers on a daily basis over a period of 4 weeks which includes employability training.

The impact of the support is measured by their EOS management information system which is a move from a paper based system.

Following the initial weeks activity the customers attends the centre a minimum of every 4 weeks with a one to one job focused interview with their coach and a full initial advice and guidance review every 12 weeks.

EOS have given us a level of flexibility to add our individually tailored service and we deliver additional accredited and none accredited training to enhance the support the customer receives. We also link our customers to the ‘One Stop’ Employment Shops who also offer various levels of customer support.

NEWCASTLE COLLEGE INTRAINING (MANAGED BY 3SC)

The Intraining contract targets the same customer group as EOS but this is a smaller contract.

Their delivery model comprises of 5 stages for the customer, invite, invigorate, inspire, intensity and independence. This supports the customer journey to improve employability prospects.

Intraining have allowed us the flexibility to enhance the programme and even deviate from their prescribed delivery. The overall model is very similar to EOS as both have been derived from DWP specifications.

The Intraining customers are seen by a personal coach who conducts the attachment and the customer is assigned to that coach from the beginning of their journey. They are seen on a fortnightly basis where an action plan is agreed and customers’ targets set.

Here customers are supported by employability courses and intensive job search activities, placement, opportunities and internal and external training. Intraining uses an IT system called Maytas to record and monitor customer activity on the programme.

Name: Humayon Choudhury Comments: The Work Programme has been a massive help in supporting and helping me getting back into work. My work advisor has been really helpful.

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Steps to Work - Trustees Report- 2014

Programmes offering Training and Qualifications MANDATORY WORK ACTIVITY

Mandatory Work Activity is for JSA customers only and is mandatory for those who are referred.

The programme is designed to help and support unemployed people to move into work, as this is a mandated programme we do not market this provision, referrals are made from job centre advisors to the prime contractor (esg) who then allocate customers to sub contracted provision.

The programme is intended to help customers move closer to the labour market, enabling them to establish the disciplines and habits of working life, carry out specific tasks and working under supervision while delivering a contribution to the local community.

Customers who are referred to the programme are required to engage in a work placement lasting for four weeks, for up to 30 hours per week over a seven day period, the placement must be of benefit to the local community.

Customers are provided with travel expenses and support while in placement and on completion the placement activity can be added to a CV and the Placement Host will provide a reference.

Placements are varied enough to supply work experience in Customer Care, Administration, IT Support, Retail, Driving Delivery Vehicles, Warehousing, Classroom Support, Animal Care, Cleaning, Catering, Sports Coaching, Gardening, and General DIY Maintenance.

In year 3 of the contract we have engaged with 567 customers.

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Name: Sheila Hall Comments: I have found the staff at Steps to Work very friendly and helpful. When I first started I had no computer knowledge and they have helped me considerably. Because of them I feel a lot more confident in my job search.

www.stepstowork.co.uk - Tel: 01922 627555

Walsall Adult Community College WACC STRAND 1

Working in partnership with the Walsall Adult Community College Steps to Work are delivering a number of training courses, both accredited and non accredited, within local venues.

The programmes are available to any Walsall Borough resident who is unemployed, or under notice of redundancy and is aged 19 years or over.

All learners complete an individual learning plan and can enrol upon the programme which best suits their needs and requirements.

Courses available include; improving job hunting skills, preparation for employment including ICT, introduction to IT, motivation & life skills and employability skills.

WACC STRAND 2

Funded by Walsall Adult Community College this project aims to deliver accredited training, in both ICT and employability, to Walsall residents aged 19 years and above.

WACC STRAND 3

This strand of the project offers local residents who are unemployed and have no computer skills a basic introduction to various aspects of using this technology to assist with their job search.

The course is held at Work on the Horizon and consists of 2 hour sessions per week. These sessions include, an introduction to computers, introduction to word processing, introduction to the internet, introduction to email and introduction to using the Universal Job Matching service.

Strand 3 also fund a range of courses such as; confidence & motivation and employability skills, assertiveness & confidence building, motivation & development, following instruction & problem solving and stress management.

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Steps to Work - Trustees Report- 2014

Apprenticeships Working in partnerships with PTP and through a direct contract with SFA we have been delivering apprenticeships since May 2013.

We offer apprenticeships in the following areas:

● Business Administration Level 2 and Level 3 ● Customer Service Level 2 and Level 3 ● Health & Social Care Level 2

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Name: Kirsty Leadbeater Comments: I’ve gone from Level 2 Business and Admin to Level 3 in 12 months and gained a full time permanent contract with Upward Care learning both sides of the business. Everyday is exciting and a challenge. I love my apprenticeship!

STEPS TO WORK WORK WITH LOCAL BUSINESSES TO PROVIDE APPRENTICESHIP OPPORTUNITIES ACROSS A RANGE OF SECTORS. EMPLOYEES CAN GAIN VALUABLE WORK EXPERIENCE WHILST GETTING ACCREDITED QUALIFICATIONS.

HANNAH, BUSINESS & ADMIN APPRENTICESHIP

Hannah hadn’t always considered apprenticeships as another route of education and was considering staying on at school to complete her A levels.

After weighing up her options, Hannah liked the idea of taking an apprenticeship and decided to apply for an apprenticeship vacancy with Walsall Housing Group.

Hannah had previously been undertaking voluntary work at whg to try and gain some experience in administration.

Hannah applied for the NVQ Level 2 in Business Admin apprenticeship online.

Having the extra support from Steps to Work’ s apprenticeship team, whg were assured Hannah was suitable for the apprenticeship and was eligible.

Hannah was successful with the first stage and put forward for the opportunity.

Hannah attended the interview and was successful in gaining the 2 year apprenticeship opportunity.

Hannah has found her placement so valuable, the wide range of opportunities and experience that whg have been able to offer her have been invaluable.

Name: Hannah Pritchard Comments: I’m really grateful for the opportunity to gain valuable work experience within administration.

I feel fully supported by my employer whg and the staff I work with. I’m confident ill achieve my Level 2 NVQ and want to go on to Level 3 as soon as I have finished

Apprentices at the company can develop skills in a variety of areas and all whg apprentices undertake training through whg; NVQ Level 2 in Environmental Sustainability, advanced excel and a social housing course.

“I’m finding the role challenging but I’m glad I decided to go down the apprenticeship route, after the 2 year apprenticeship I hope to progress onto Level 3 qualification in Business Admin”.

“I’m really grateful for the opportunity to gain valuable work experience within administration, feel fully supported by whg as an organisation and the staff I work with”.

Name: Abi Sedgewick Comments: My opportunities within my career aspirations have been widened thanks to gaining the apprenticeship. I feel supported by Steps to Work and Sure Start, glad I did the apprenticeship as it has enabled me to gain qualifications as well as experience.

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Steps to Work - Trustees Report- 2014

Customer Journeys Name: Mohammed & Dakiha Comments: Project Officer David Danks (middle) with Darlaston JET customers Muhammed Buhla (right) and Zakia Dola (left), proudly show off their SIA certificates.

Both customers have been using Moxley Peoples Centre for both job search and for their SIA training.

Name: Brandon Hoosang Comments: A massive thanks to all at Darlaston Jet and Moxley Peoples Centre for making me believe in myself right from the start. They have become more like friends now and the personal support and care will never be forgotten! Thanks to you all.

MARRISA: NATIONAL CAREERS SERVICE

Marissa had been out of work for 15 years, having taken time to raise her young family. Once her children had started school, she decided that the time was right to look for employment and looked for support in employability advice and apply for jobs over the internet.

Marissa made contact with the National Careers Service for general careers advice and was signposted to speak to an advisor for a one to one meeting.

Marissa was able to get help and advice on creating a CV and covering letter to enable her to start applying for work.

Marissa explains her journey in applying and finding work;

“I had been doing some voluntary work on and off in various roles. Also cared for relatives but I really wanted to find a part time permanent role to fit in around the children’s school hours. I found an advertisement for an advanced apprenticeship in animal care which would enable me to gain experience in working with animals, but I had no idea if I could apply or how to go about it.”

Name: Marissa Comments: I now have a part time role where I am using lots of skills and gaining plenty of experience in working with domestic animals. If it wasn’t for contacting the National Careers Service in the first place I would still have been looking for jobs I had no interest in.

“I spoke to a National Careers Advisor who gave me support and advice on creating a letter of application to go alongside my current CV. The letter highlighted my personal experience working with family pets and also pointed out my caring nature and love for animals.”

“I was lucky enough to get an interview at Cross Green Kennels and agreed to a day’s work trial to see if I liked the job and they liked me. I was then offered the job as a kennel maid on the same day!”

Name: Vicky Lawley, Work Programme Comments: After 13 years of being unemployed I didn’t see the point or the benefit of the Work Programme, I had no faith in anyone or anything. After 2 years of attending Steps to Work my advisor inspired and supported me to find work, giving me drive and motivation to prove I wasn’t like the stereotypical unemployed person. Now I’ve got a part time job as a school caterer and I couldn’t be happier!

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Name: Kimm Peel Comments: I found the employability course at Steps to Work helped me gain experience with group interaction. Group activities are of a great help to people like me, I gained a lot with the help with the back to work course.

Name: Nigel Spruce Comments: I would like to thank all the staff at Steps to Work and their ‘One Stop’ shops for all their hard work on my behalf, and also thank you all for your help and understanding over the past two years and finding me a job.

Name: Rajvinder Kaur Comments: I really enjoyed the employability course it’s ideal for all anyone who is struggling to get back into work. It has benefited me and made me learn from my mistakes. The Tutor is very good at her job and gets the best out of the class.

Name: Carol Gillet Comments: As an older lady who was daunted by the prospect of being unemployed. I was deflated after my first visit to the Jobcentre and was not sure of how to proceed to finding work. I went to Darlaston Jet to see about getting my CV uploaded. What a pleasant surprise to me, the amount of help and support available.

Name: Ian Friar Comments: The course has been a big eye opener with the things I thought I was good at, they have been great all the way through. Really enjoyed all the course and got on well with the people on it.

Name: Dawn Foxhall Comments: My time spent on this programme has been very pleasurable. I have learnt a lot of new ideas such as ways of looking and applying for jobs.

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Steps to Work - Trustees Report- 2014

Our Commitment to IS0 9001 IS0 9001 IS AN INTERNATIONAL STANDARD FOR A QUALITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM. IT SENDS A CLEAR MESSAGE TO FUNDERS, PARTNERS, EMPLOYEES AND CUSTOMERS THAT WE AIM TO ACHIEVE STANDARDS OF QUALITY THAT ARE RESPECTED AND RECOGNISED THROUGHOUT THE WORLD

We are committed to using ISO 9001 to improve the service to all our customers both internal and external on a continuing basis.

We do this by having a team of colleagues who are trained ISO auditors, planning a year-long cycle of audits on all aspects of Steps to Work activities and by reviewing, implementing and evaluating their findings.

Audits cover customer activities such as job search, training, reviews, customer satisfaction and complaints, as well as corporate functions such as purchasing, communication and approving suppliers.

The audit findings are reviewed by the Senior Management Team and implemented across the company.

We consult with our customers on a regular basis to ensure we are meeting their expectations by holding monthly learner forums and asking for their feedback.

We ensure that our management information systems are maintained regularly and reflect customer and quality requirements.

ISO 9001

ISO 27001

Registered

Quality Management

IS0 9001

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BS25999

BS 25999

Registered

015

IS0 22301

Information Security Management

Registered

015

Business Continuity

ISO 27001

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BS25999 AND IS0 22301 BUSINESS CONTINUITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS BS25999 is the British Standard and ISO22301 is the international standard for Business Continuity Management. We work towards the principles of these standards, as it provides the framework that enables Steps to Work to identify potential threats and the impacts to business operations that those threats, if realised, might cause.

We have completed Business Impact Analysis identifying our business critical activities, our recovery time objectives (how quickly we want to recover) and maximum tolerable period of disruption (how long disruption would be to significantly impact on business).

We have developed and tested a Business Continuity Plan to assist in the recovery of our business critical activities following any disruptions.

BUSINESS CONTINUITY

For Steps to Work having this framework provides us with some benefits ● Improving our resilience against disruption ● Maintaining an ability to manage uninsurable risks ● Developing a capability to manage business disruption ● Minimising consequences of unexpected disruptions ● A method of restoring our ability to supply our key products and services ● Protecting and enhancing our reputation and brand ● Demonstrating our ability to maintain delivery of our products and services

ISO 27001 INFORMATION SECURITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS ISO27001 is the international standard for Information Security Management. We work towards the principles of this standard, as it provides the framework that enables Steps to Work to assure itself that our information security measures are effective.

We implement our Information Security Management System through programme specific Security Plans. These are a requirement of a number of our programmes. There are overall policies and procedures in place that cover Information Security, Information and Communication Systems, Information Security Incident Management, Data Protection and Retention and Destruction of Records to name a few.

INFORMATION SECURITY

There are also controls for Physical and Environmental Security, HR security, asset management and access control.

For Steps to Work having this framework provides us with some benefits ● Customer Satisfaction – by giving confidence that their personal information is protected and confidentiality upheld ● Business Continuity – through management of risk, legal compliance and vigilance of further security issues and concerns ● Legal Compliance – by understanding how statutory and regulatory requirements impact on us and our customers; this reduces the risks of costly breaches ● Improved Risk Management – through a systematic framework for ensuring our records and information are protected from loss, theft and damage

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Steps to Work - Trustees Report- 2014

Our Commitment to Environmental Sustainability

ISO 14001 Registered

Environmental Management

26

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The environmental team have raised awareness throughout the organisation in ways such as introducing an environmental bulletin which is sent out to all employees informing on what key issues the team are working on. Â By compiling a bulletin this raises an awareness amongst staff ensuring that adherence to environmental legislation is met. The 14001 team also ensure that signage is current at all its premises, encouraging staff to recycle, re-use, and recover. Â The team have also introduced a yearly schedule planner for the year, each month having a process to review. This can range from Environmental Aspects and Impacts, Significant Aspects Register, Review of audits that have been carried out and evaluation of compliance.

The 14001 process has been of great benefit to the organisation, and shows the commitment of both the organisation and its employees to environmental sustainability.

Steps to Work (Walsall) Ltd is committed to environmental sustainability and values the environment by monitoring the environmental impacts of its programmes, projects and services.

Steps to Work recognises that the environment is a major factor in determining the quality of life throughout the areas in which it operates. It cannot be treated in isolation as it impacts upon, and in turn is affected by many other equally important social and economic issues.

The organisation shows commitment to the prevention of pollution and compliance with legislation and other relevant requirements to which the organisation subscribes, also giving due consideration in the decision making processes to the environmental impact of new proposals as well as the social and economic impacts.

CURRENTLY THERE HAS BEEN AN ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE WITH DISCARDED WASTE AT THE REAR OF THE PREMISES AT WORK ON THE HORIZON. HERE ARE SOME PICTURES SHOWING ITS CURRENT CONDITION.

The organisation enhances employee and participant awareness of environmental issues and policies through training programmes encouraging customers to take part in projects whilst on programme.

Steps to Work encourage reducing energy consumption by strengthening the commitment to energy conservation. Employees are encouraged to turn off electrical appliances when not in use and to turn off lights if adequate lighting is sufficient or when rooms are not in use.

The company encourage the use of recycled materials and the recycling of waste at each of its premises. Steps to Work also show commitment to reducing its carbon footprint by encouraging walking, cycling, and the use of public transport by staff, and also car sharing if meetings are being held at the same venue with numerous employees being in attendance at the same meeting.

The company promotes measures to discourage waste, to recover, re-use and re-cycle waste materials and to ensure that the remainder is disposed of responsibly. Also ensuring that due consideration is given when purchasing new resources to the energy saving measures available within products.

UPDATED PHOTOS WILL BE IN THE NEXT BULLETIN WHEN THIS IS CLEARED UP BY THE ENVIRONMENTAL TEAM.

Environmental objectives and targets are set and reviewed to monitor the effectiveness of the environmental management system through meetings of the senior management team supported by an internal audit team.

The organisation also has published an environmental policy which is available to the public on the website. Each month a team of environmental representatives meet to discuss issues, and concerns and legislative requirements and review of key performance indicators.

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Steps to Work - Trustees Report- 2014

Employer Engagement We have been working in partnership with over 4,500 employers across the Black Country, successfully filling vacancies for over 15 years and still going strong!

We pride our self on our fresh approach to youth unemployment and are bridging the gap between jobs and supporting businesses.

IF YOU ARE LOOKING TO EXPAND YOUR WORK FORCE IN AN INNOVATIVE WAY, THERE MAY BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH STEPS TO WORK.

BUSINESS TRAINING SOLUTIONS

Recently Steps to Work have supported Wolverhampton based D.B Plastics whose business in producing colour and additive masterbach concentrates for plastic mouldings, having a 10% annual turnover, the company are growing and investing in moulding employees to suit their needs.

Steps to Work have been able to support D.B Plastics with the recruitment of full time permanent staff and apprentices. Having seen the calibre and potential of all the candidates put forward through the initiative, the partnership is working well explains Ben Lloyd, Managing Director.

“We first required a machine operator to replace a member of staff who was retiring and contacted Steps to Work to see if they would have anyone suitable.

We were offered a variety of options but decided that a future Apprentice would be the best solution for us. We now have local person working for us who we can mould and train to become a fully qualified member of staff” “We are working hard investing in people that have the potential to be great at what they do, get stuck into the job and have ambition. It takes a lot of time training into a specialist area of manufacturing so they have to be as committed as we are!”

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Following the first successful recruitment of the first apprentice, D.B Plastics took another apprentice to work in the laboratory. Dale proved to be the right man for the job.

After leaving school to embark a career in carpentry, Dale started to study his chosen trade at Bilston College but failed to complete his study and felt it wasn’t the right career path for him. Dale had previous work experience within warehousing and construction and was looking to secure an apprenticeship that provided him with hands-on practical work.

Name: Dale Smith Comments: I felt that I needed an apprenticeship opportunity to help me secure employment. I wanted to earn a wage and get trained at the same time, so this was ideal for me.

After 3 weeks unemployment and claiming JSA, Dale had become fed up and totally demotivated with looking for work, thinking the right opportunity would never surface. Dale found hope after visiting the National Apprenticeship Service website and finding the apprenticeship with DB Plastics.

Keen to go for it, Dale applied online and had a one to one advice and guidance interview with Steps to Work who then put Dale forward for interview with the Managing Director of D.B. Plastics.

Dale was successful at his interview and offered Dale a work trial to see if the position would be suitable for him, after a week Dale was offered the work trial and is now comfortably working and learning towards his apprenticeship and has also been given the opportunity to be put through Fork Lift Truck Training, another extra qualification under his belt!

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Steps to Work - Trustees Report- 2014

Employer Engagement LOCAL BUSINESS COLLABORATES WITH STEPS TO WORK’S CUSTOMER SERVICE APPRENTICESHIP SMITHS ENTERPRISES

Smiths Enterprises is a small company in the Wolverhampton area which specialises in small building projects including brickwork, woodwork and landscaping, including fencing, slabbing and rubbish removal including any domestic work which may be too large or challenging for the average D.I.Y. enthusiast.

In October 2013 Smiths Enterprises attended one of Steps to Work employer lead networking evens in partnership with solicitors F.B.C. Manby Bowdler held at Wolverhampton Lawn Tennis and Squash Club. The event attracted over fifty local companies, and one of the aims of the event was to generate inter business trading between the attendees, something which attracted Smiths Enterprises.

Not only did Smiths secure business from a number of the attendees present on the day, they even picked up a contract from the host venue, Wolverhampton Lawn Tennis and Squash Club, which is the premier sports and fitness centre in the region.

Name: David Smith of Smiths Enterprises Comments: When I saw the Steps to Work advertisement for the event I was keen to attend, but I was concerned as it would mean spending time away from the business.

However, not only was the over by 9.30am which meant only minor disruption to the working day, it resulted in a great deal of inter company trading for the people who attended.

Smith Enterprises have picked up several testimonials and customer compliments, resulting from work he picked up at the event, which has grown providing the company with information for their future marketing plan.

The testimonial mentioned:“100% reliable, great workmanship and punctual”

Smiths Enterprises concluded that by attending the Steps to Work networking event not only did he secure new contacts for their business, they also received a free breakfast!

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AMANI BOUTIQUE

18 year-old apprentice, Sanna Azam, is working for Amani Boutique, a new retail store in Wolverhampton specialising in 1 off Bollywood clothing and beauty.

Keen to progress her career in fashion, Sanna is able to do that with her apprenticeship in customer service. Working on her level 2 NVQ in retail and says that although its hard work, she doesn’t feel under pressure like she might have done at school.

Name: Sanna Azam Comments: I would recommend an apprenticeship to other people.

It is a really good way to get onto your chosen career path and you get all the help and support you need along the way, I chose customer service because it’s not just applicable to retail but a range of sectors.

I enjoy the flexibility of this qualification.

“The people I work with at the shop have been really good and helpful too and I am keen to take my career further in customer service, within a fashion and beauty setting. I would definitely like to move onto a level 3 diploma once I have completed my level 2.”

Amani Boutique opened in February 2014 after Manager, Posh Mahey was inspired by similar businesses on a visit to India and decided to take the business forward with the help of his wife.

“After seeing a range of businesses overseas, selling high end goods at high street prices, made me realise I could adopt this business model and take it over to England and turn it into a unique fashion business in Wolverhampton. I made contacts with Indian manufacturing companies, who agreed to allow me to sell the products in the UK at an affordable price for my customers.” added Posh.

The apprenticeship team at Steps to Work discussed the possible funding opportunities that could be available which would enable a helping hand to supporting the new business with recruiting the right person for the boutique.

Posh Mahay, Owner and Manager, couldn’t be happier with his newest member of the team; “We were looking for someone with maturity and commitment to help in setting the store up once we had got the business up and running. I was impressed by Sana straight away and new she could bring a lot to the team, having interest in fashion and beauty, an area we want to expand into in the future. We stock a large range of Indian fashion, accessories and bridal wear. We are working with Sanna to provide her with everything she needs to get through her qualification and have been very impressed with the recruitment of our new trainee and the funding opportunities that were out there through Steps to Work.”

www.stepstowork.co.uk - Tel: 01922 627555

Highlights of the Year FOOD BANK In 2013, Steps to Work supported Walsall Community Church with colleagues donating food items to the soup kitchen, supporting the bank who help the less fortunate than ourselves. Here’s Dave, our (Health and Safety Officer and Crystina, BCIC Manager with just some of our donations.

CHILDREN IN NEED

A sweet success!

For the past 4 years Steps to Work and Starting Point Recruitment have shown their generosity all in the name of Charity. In 2013 employees came together to raise £752.82p our biggest target to date, smashing last year’s donation by £239.14!

In 2012, our yummy homemade treats managed to raise £513.68 for Children in Need thanks to its sales and its Charity Bake off. This year we showed our support more than ever, taking part in fancy dress and selling our delicious cakes and raffle tickets for a donated luxury Christmas hamper, to colleagues, council offices and employers in the Borough.

Why not show your support this year in November 2014 by buying a cake from the team. Growing each year, this year promises to be the best yet. A range of cakes, cookies and brownies will be available from as little as 50p with all donations going to Children in Need! Look out for the team in fancy dress and follow our Facebook and Twitter updates @stepstowork updated daily by the Marketing team.

EXPRESS & STAR 2014 Steps to Work were one of three shortlisted companies included in the Express & Star’s Business Awards, under the category for ‘Outstanding NotFor-Profit Organisation’ Since incorporation in 1999, we have successfully developed and delivered numerous projects and programmes after securing funding through grants, donations and service level agreements with local, regional and national departments, supporting nearly 30,000 people into work.

Our success has been built on bringing key organisations together, including Jobcentre Plus, CAB, local primary care trust and the probation service, all under one roof.

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Steps to Work - Trustees Report- 2014

Financial Review COMMERCIAL TRADING ACTIVITIES MAINLY COME FROM THE INCOME GENERATED THROUGH OUR SUBSIDIARY COMPANY, STARTING POINT RECRUITMENT. ALL OF OUR GRANT INCOME COMES FROM SERVICE LEVEL AGREEMENTS/ CONTRACTS WITHIN THE PUBLIC SECTOR.

Income is derived from either service delivery or from payments against specific outputs (mainly jobs, sustainable jobs and qualifications).

Many of the changes over the past year have been a move away from a cost replacement model of funding, where we were paid for delivering a service with outputs, to payment upon achievement of outputs.

NET MOVEMENT OF FUNDS During the period, the charity continued to comply with FRS17; this has meant the pension reserve has decreased from £1,658,000 to £1,088,000

TOTAL FUNDS AT YEAR END Restricted funds at 31 March 2014 were £10,545 compared to £27,389 in 2013.

Unrestricted funds are £1,943,873 compared to £1,327,242 in 2013.

GRANT INCOME All of the grant income comes from either service level agreements or from grant agreements within the public sector. Income is derived from expenditure incurred to support local people with up skilling or in improving their aspiration to secure sustainable employment.

RESOURCES EXPENDED Total resources expended during the period have increased due to the activities of the trading operation – Starting Point Recruitment Limited.

NET INCOMING RESOURCES An increase had been seen in the net incoming resources due to the activities of the trading operation – Starting Point Recruitment Limited.

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Facts & Statistics THESE CHARTS SHOW THE BACKGROUND OF CUSTOMERS WHO HAVE USED STEPS TO WORK SERVICES WITHIN THE

GENDER 54% 46%

Male Female

BOROUGHS OF WALSALL AND WOLVERHAMPTON COMBINED, IN THE FINANCIAL YEAR 2013- 2014.

THE BREAKDOWN OF THE UNEMPLOYED BY

AGE 22% 54% 24%

Under 24 25-49 50+

THEIR OWN DEFINITION, ASSISTED

BY STEPS TO WORK IS DETAILED BY; ETHIC ORIGIN, AGE, GENDER AND DISABILITY.

DISABILITY 75% 25% 0% 0%

No Disability Disability Prefer not to say Not known

ETHNIC ORIGIN 3.62% 0.88% 6.63% 1.96% 2.86% 1.96% 0.29% 1.25% 0.26% 0.15% 0.68% 0.07% 2.85% 7.67% 63.45% 0.51% 4.90%

Indian Asian or Asian British Other Asian or Asian British Pakistani Asian or Asian British Bangladeshi Black or Black British Caribbean Black or Black British African Black or Black British Other Mixed White and Black Caribbean Mixed White and Asian Mixed White/Black African Mixed Other Chinese Not known Other White British White Irish White Other

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Steps to Work - Trustees Report- 2014

Summarised Accounts Steps to Work (Walsall) Ltd (A company limited by guarantee)

Consolidated statement of financial activities (incorporating income and expenditure account) Year ended 31 March 2014

draft onby5/8/2014 Steps to Work This (Walsall) Ltd (Aproduced company limited guarantee) Consolidated statement of financial activities (incorporating income and expenditure account) Year ended 31 March 2014.

Restricted Unrestricted funds funds 2014 2014 £ £

14:58

Total funds 2014 £

Total funds 2013 £

Incoming resources Incoming resources from generated funds: Activities for generating funds Commercial trading operations Investment income Incoming resources from charitable activities

3,083,632

12,160,577 13,727 -

12,160,577 13,727 3,083,632

9,518,237 28,020 3,492,224

Total incoming resources

3,083,632

12,174,304

15,257,936

13,038,481

Costs of generating funds: Commercial trading operations Charitable activities Governance costs

3,031,188 -

12,138,173 143,163 11,625

12,138,173 3,174,351 11,625

9,373,909 3,254,750 11,250

Total resources expended

3,031,188

12,292,961

15,324,149

12,639,909

Resources expended

Net income / (Expenditure) before transfers

52,444

(118,657)

Transfers between funds

(69,288)

69,288

Net income / (expenditure) for the year

(16,844)

(49,369)

(66,213)

398,572

666,000

666,000

(214,000)

616,631

599,787

184,572

Actuarial gains and losses on defined benefit pension schemes Net movement in funds for the year

(16,844)

(66,213) -

398,572 -

Total funds at 1 April 2013

27,389

1,327,242

1,354,631

1,170,059

Total funds at 31 March 2014

10,545

1,943,873

1,954,418

1,354,631

All activities relate to continuing operations.

The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year.

Trustees’ Statement These summary financial statements are not statutory financial statements. We confirm that the information contained in the summary financial statements is taken from the audited financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2014 and includes details relating to both the Consolidated Statement of Financial Activities and the Consolidated Balance Sheet. The full financial statements were approved and signed by the Trustees on 18 September 2014 and will soon be submitted to the Charity Commission and to Companies House. They received an unqualified audit report from Dains LLP on 18 September 2014 and copies can be obtained from Steps to Work (Walsall) Limited.

The notes on pages 8 to 23 form part of these financial statements.

On behalf of the Trustees: David Bassett, Chair 18 September 2014

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Steps to Work (Walsall) Ltd (A company limited by guarantee) Registered number: 03738249 Consolidated balance sheet as at 31 March 2014.

This draft produced on 5/8/2014 14:58 Steps to Work (Walsall) Ltd (A company limited by guarantee) Registered number: 03738249 Consolidated balance sheet as at 31 March 2014

£

2014 £

£

2013 £

Fixed assets 310,912

Tangible assets

62,646

Current assets Debtors

3,286,688

2,755,357

Cash at bank and in hand

2,422,640

3,199,670

5,709,328

5,955,027

(2,977,822)

(3,005,042)

Creditors: amounts falling due within one year Net current assets

2,731,506

Total assets less current liabilities

2,949,985

3,042,418

3,012,631

Defined benefit pension scheme liability

(1,088,000)

(1,658,000)

Net assets including pension scheme liabilities

1,954,418

1,354,631

10,545

27,389

Funds Restricted funds Unrestricted funds: Unrestricted funds excluding pension liability Pension reserve

3,031,873

2,985,242

(1,088,000)

(1,658,000)

Total unrestricted funds

The financial statements were approved by the Trustees on behalf, by:

1,943,873

1,327,242

1,954,418

1,354,631 and signed on their

___________________________ C Wildman Trustee The notes on pages 8 to 23 form part of these financial statements.

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Steps to Work - Trustees Report- 2014

Risks and Opportunities RISKS

The trustees have identified four main areas of risk which it considers the group are exposed to: ● Damage to the companies’ reputation ● The availability of resources to enable an effective and efficient service delivery ● The Health, Safety and welfare of the Trustees, staff and customers ● The changes in local, regional and central government policies on worklessness and skills

Damage to the company’s reputation: The reputation of the company is based upon its ability to deliver services to its customers effectively and efficiently. We believe that our continued success depends on earning and sustaining the trust of, those we deal with – including customers, stakeholders, employees, business partners, funding partners and the broader community.

In order to ensure that we operate to the highest standards we have published and maintained a code of ethics governing how we respond to other people and other businesses. The code covers the company’s policy statements and principals, which have been approved by and have the full support of the Board of Trustees. In addition our values are outlined through arrange of corporate documents.

To ensure service disruption is minimised we have maintained and reviewed our business continuity plans ensuring that the business returns to operational mode in the optimum time and does so in line with requirements of BS25999 business continuity processes.

The availability of resources to enable effective and efficient service delivery: The nature of the environment in which we operate, leaves the organisation vulnerable to changes and has adverse effects on our ability to plan in the long term, as many of the effects are not in our direct control. The Trustees have categorised the resource risk into three main areas, human resources, finance and fixed assets. Each of these have been risk assessed and where possible some actions developed to relieve against them.

Human Resources - Within the business we need to have a flexible workforce which can undertake a variety of tasks that is dependent upon the customer group, and where the requirements of funding bodies remains a severe challenge. As an organisation, we have continued to develop our workforce through training and job shadowing to encourage multi tasking and personal development.

Recognition of our investment in staff has been seen through our Investors In People award and our Leaders in Diversity award.

We have maintained a core staffing element and have developed several relationships with employment businesses through our subsidiary Starting Point Recruitment, to maintain a supply of associate workers and sub-contractors who can provide as required to meet the needs of the business.

Financial Resources - The business has managed to maintain a healthy level of financial resource to support its service delivery. During the past five years we have seen a greater emphasis being placed on output related funding and the timeframes by which sustainable employment is measured continue to grow longer creating increased cash flow concerns. Those contracts that remain “cost

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recovery” are becoming shorter and less available placing different constraints on the development and delivery of the programmes.

The Trustees have put in place an investment group who look at the use of the companies cash reserves and endeavour to maintain appropriate balances and investments to meet the needs of the business.

Fixed assets - The complete unpredictability to determine volumes has created endless issues with availability of appropriate fixed assets. Of particular concern has been office space where we have tried to negotiate flexible terms to our leases as the future can be uncertain.

Working with our landlords we have been able to develop flexible terms on our accommodation units to meet our needs and we have ensured these are at realistic market values.

Planning for assets such as computers and printers are dramatically affected by volume changes and such assets cannot be activated instantly and once purchased are equally redundant when levels of customers fall. Work is currently underway to review our current situations around services where we are trying to look at our needs over the next five to seven years.

The health and safety of our workforce: The health, safety and welfare of the Trustees, colleagues and customers are, and will remain, extremely important to the organisation. This is demonstrated through the effective implementation of our Health and Safety Policies and Procedures.

As part of the ongoing developments in this area we ensure staff receive appropriate training in areas such as conflict resolution and dealing with aggressive behaviour. All aspects of a particular job are risk assessed and measures put in place to reduce or remove risks where possible.

Changes in local, regional and central government policies on skills and worklessness: The changes in local, regional and central government policies on worklessness and skills are an inherent part of our business and one which we have had to deal with since incorporation. Many of the changes have required us to change the way in which we deliver our services, the number of staff we employ and the accommodation we need as well as updating or replacing the resources we require.

The impact of change upon organisations such as ours are cash flow concerns.

The more steps between ourselves and the funding body there are, the longer it takes to be paid. As an organisation we have had to develop and adjust to these changes and have developed strategies that aim to minimise the impact and maximise the potential that such changes can bring to the organisation and its delivery partners.

With each change risk occurs, but the Trustees and senior management team have adopted a proactive response to risk management. All potential new ventures are risk assessed before we agree on our response. These risk assessment procedures have resulted in us leading to and working with others as a delivery partner when we believe the risk to ourselves is too great.

www.stepstowork.co.uk - Tel: 01922 627555

OPPORTUNITIES

During the past twelve months opportunities to develop our services have been limited. Through investment from the Investment and Contract Readiness Fund we have been developing areas of our business to support a possible bid to become a “Prime Contractor” in the future.

Previously we assessed the potential risk for contracts including the Work Programme and decided that due to the changes in funding, operation of the contract and the cash flow requirements, posed greater risk to the organisation than we were prepared to take. Therefore, we were happy to be considered as a potential sub-contractor.

Our decision however did not mean that we would not wish to be a ‘Prime or First tier’ contractor and during the past twelve months we have sought to secure an investment partner who can take this area forward.

Investment policy: The nature of our work remains funded through a retrospective model which requires high levels of cash to support our staffing and sub contracting arrangements. The funding model has lead to the development of short term investments managed by the charity’s bankers in areas which are low risk, but therefore deliver low returns.

Reserves policy: The company has set out its reserves policy in response to its market. The income we receive from our Service Level Agreements and contracts is retrospective and therefore requires us to keep the majority of our reserves in unrestricted general funds. This is so that our expenditure profiles can be met.

In 2013/2014 a decrease in our pension liability has improved our reserves position however due to the huge fluctuations in this area over the past few years it has been decided that in order to be prudent we will retain this as cash.

The Trustees have agreed that it would be prudent to ensure that certain funds are restricted to meet future development and replacement costs.

Some restricted funds are grants that are given to the charity for a defined purpose and each grant has specific terms, also capital grants received in prior years have been included as income in the year of receipt.

The corresponding depreciation however is spread over the life of the asset.

At each year end there is an amount included in restricted funds, which reflects the future depreciation charge relating to the assets.

Recently the Trustees have set up a new investment group that will look at the companies’ balances and determine where money can be placed and what level of risk is appropriate.

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Steps to Work - Trustees Report- 2014

The Future In our Annual report 2012/2013 we reported that we believed the future for Steps to Work needed to include the development of a diverse portfolio which would enable us to deliver a range of services to our current and future customers. At the time of writing we had seen some mergers and acquisitions within the sector, with DWP primes taking over smaller providers or reaching agreements to work together with other primes to deliver over greater areas.

Throughout the 2013/2014 financial year this trend has continued as the sector prepares itself for the development of the next Department of Work and Pensions and National Offender Management Frameworks along with the reduction in staffing at the Skills Funding Agency, which will undoubtedly require Prime contractors to undertake a much more proactive role in the management of contracts and their relationship with government.

We outlined that Steps to Work had two potential options; develop and grow or be subsumed into another provider. Either way the future must be in diversity and growth looking at larger geographical areas and new delivery models to enable us to provide services across the whole spectrum of our customer base. In 2013/2014 therefore much of our work has been on taking a look at our current environment the changes we expect and developing potential responses that will place us in a position to meet our future challenges.

The development of our strategic plan 2013-2018 plan has therefore taken into account several factors that we believe will impact on the development of the organisation in the future. Of particular importance has been the recognition of how the major Government Departments (DWP, SFA and MoJ) will procure services in the future and what their minimum criteria are likely to be so that preparations can be made to ensure we exceed these. We have sought external advice and support through the Investment and Contract Readiness fund to enable us to look critically at the business, develop work streams that will reengineer some delivery models of our work and test our infrastructure to ensure compatibility with security, financial and governance requirements expected within new contracts.

Developments have included the in upgrading of our IT infrastructure to ensure that it is fit for the future, a new IT delivery system has been purchased and commissioned within the financial year 2013/2014 ensuring that it is ready for greater peripatetic working, faster access and higher levels of security that we will need. The new system also forms the base for the further development of our social media presence and the expansion of this medium in delivering our services to our customers.

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Reaccreditation of our integrated Business Management System which consists of ISO 9001:2008 Quality Management, ISO 14001:2004 Environmental Management and the ISO BS25999 stage 1 Business Continuity Management. These standards help to achieve, maintain and improve the quality of our products, services and management practices

Work on developing our Investors in Diversity award into a Leader in Diversity award, ensuring compliance with our Gold Investors in People award and a commitment to developing our staff team to meet the needs of the future markets.

We have started working through the requirements of the Merlin Standard to ensure future compliance and the annual development of our Self Assessment Report and the work on each element of our development plan is moving us closer towards our goal of becoming recognised as an excellent provider in the future.

Our commitment to our communities and securing external evaluation of the added value of our business has taken us on a journey to explore the Social Value investment in the company brings and we have commissioned external consultants to look at the various elements of our service delivery to determine what the Social Return on Investment (SORI) we provide our funding partners in addition to the contractual targets we are set.

Financial modelling has always created the greatest challenge and therefore particular emphasis has been placed on maintaining a level of reserves that will enable to develop areas where we can further benefit our customers whilst ensuring our ongoing financial viability, investment for the future is being sought and in 2014/2015 we are expecting that work currently being undertaken will lead to us securing a major financial investor within our business which will enable us to build upon our success to date, enable us during future volatile economic times to develop and evolve operational models that will make the business fit for purpose and meet the challenges that we will undoubtedly face through political, economic, social and technological changes.

As always we will continue to look for new markets ensuring that at Steps to Work its business as usual.

www.stepstowork.co.uk - Tel: 01922 627555

Partnerships & Funding Partners Steps to Work gratefully acknowledges the financial support it has received from the following organisations and funding streams. ● EOS ● 3SC ● Department for Children, Schools and Families ● Department for Communities and Local Government ● Department for Work and Pensions ● European Social Fund ● European Regional Development Fund ● Big Lottery Fund ● Skills Funding Agency ● Performance Through People ● Walsall Council ● Working Neighbourhoods Fund

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES Auditors Dains LLP 15 Colmore Row, Birmingham, B3 2BH

Bank National Westminster Bank PLC Park Street, Walsall, West Midlands, WS1 1ER

Insurance D E Ford Insurance Brokers Ltd Poppleton Grange, Low Poppleton Lane, York, North Yorkshire, YO26 6GZ

Solicitors HCB Solicitors Ltd 20 Lichfield Street, Walsall, WS1 1TJ

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Steps to Work - Trustees Report - Published 09.14

hollyhilldesign.net

Head office: Challenge Building, Hatherton Road, Walsall. WS1 1XS Tel: 01922 627555 Fax: 01922 622133 Walsall: Townend House, Third Floor, Townend House, Park Street, Walsall. WS1 1NS Tel: 01922 651870 Fax: 01922 651879

‘One Stop’ Employment Shops Work on the Horizon: 1 Queens Parade, High Street, Bloxwich, Walsall. WS3 2EX Tel: 01922 496555 Fax: 01922 408589 Darlaston JET: 40 King Street, Darlaston. WS10 8DE Tel: 0121 526 6238 Fax: 0121 568 3848

Head Office: Challenge Building, Hatherton Road, Walsall. WS1 1XS

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Registered Office: Challenge Building, Hatherton Road, Walsall. WS1 1XS. A Company Limited by Guarantee. Registered in England No: 3738249. Charity Registration No: 1100403

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ISO 14001 / Environmental

ISO 18001 / OHSAS Health and Safety

ISO 9001:2000 / Quality Systems

Optimum environmental performance certified by FSC® and EU Ecolabel

Recyclable