Our ambition is that everyone, particularly those with significant barriers to overcome, receives support from business, to build the skills and confidence they need to gain and sustain employment.
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End Youth Homelessness Alliance
Business in the Community has joined forces with charities and businesses to launch a new campaign to end youth homelessness.
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Department of Work and Pensions minister meets Ready for Work graduates
A Ready for Work supporters event brought together businesses and government to discuss the impact of the programme.
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Guardian report on Ban the BoxRead a Guardian Sustainable Business article about BITC's debate on whether employers should require disclosure of criminal convictions.
Amongst the UK's 2.6m unemployed people, the number of adults out of work for more than a year has risen by 78% in just two years. For many, a lack of self-confidence, recent experience or qualifications means that without proactive support they are unlikely to find and keep work. These barriers are often compounded by experiences of homelessness or the criminal justice and care systems.
What we ask of business
We ask business to help those furthest from employment into work through:
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supporting and delivering pre-employment training, visits and workshops
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offering quality work placements
- proactively recruiting people from disadvantaged groups and support them in sustaining work (in-house or elsewhere).
What we offer business
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successful programmes supporting disadvantaged people into work: Ready for Work and Get Ready!
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research, advice and guidance informed by our experience on the ground
- support in breaking down barriers and developing good practice through our homelessness, reducing re-offending and care leavers campaigns.
The issue
Access to employment is the most sustainable route out of poverty and disadvantage but it can often be out of reach:
- 80% of people living in hostels want to work but only 5% currently do.
- 76% of people coming out of prison have no job on release.
- 36% of care leavers are NEET compared to 19.6% of the general youth population.
Business can make a significant impact on unemployment by providing access to good work for some of the most disadvantaged groups.
The case for business involvement
Business can make a significant impact on unemployment by providing access to good work for some of the most disadvantaged groups. And there are vast benefits of engaging in programmes supporting disadvantaged groups, such as Ready for Work.
- To society - the Social Return on Investment of Ready for Work is £3.12 for every £1 invested, and the programme generates a social impact of at least £3.2m for each year’s investment. This is made up from reduced re-offending, reduced benefits claims and increased tax payments, among other savings.
- To individuals – programme participants report benefits from increased self confidence, improved health and wellbeing, re-connecting with their families and an improved sense of self worth from being in work again.
- To businesses – skills development of employee volunteers.
Related resources
The Social Return on Investment of Ready for Work
Our research shows that one year's investment in this programme returns over £3.2m of benefit over 5 years.
Work Inclusion - Business Benefits
This report describes some of the benefits to business of supporting the employment of people from disadvantaged groups, using evidence from companies engaged in BITC programmes.
Work Inclusion: guide to best practice for employers - executive summary
Guidance for businesses on supporting disadvantaged groups such as care leavers into work.
Related case studies
Case study - Trafford Housing Trust's Clean Start
Trafford Housing Trust employs ex-offenders on six month placements.
Case study - Boots Work Inspiration Programme
Boots UK provides work experience placements to disadvantaged young people within the care system.
Freshfields - supporting homeless people to gain employment
A long-term supporter of Ready for Work, Freshfields hosted 11 placements in 2010.
Ready for Work client cast study: Isaac
Ill health and bad luck lost Isaac a decent job. A Ready for Work placement led to a new career with law firm Freshfields.
Related programmes
Business Action on Homelessness Leadership Team
Key contact
Faye Goldman
Communications Manager, Work Inclusion
T: 020 7566 6611
E:faye.goldman@bitc.org.uk