Need to make work work for homeless people, says John Varley

As employers, we are interested in talent. Finding it, nurturing it and watching people thrive as a result. We recognise that talent comes in many wrappings and that we must cast our nets wide to find the right people to make our businesses successful.

When Business Action on Homelessness (BAOH) was launched, the focus of much Government and sector attention was, rightly, on reducing the large number of rough sleepers. But there didn’t seem to be much expectation or effort directed at supporting people back to work. Thankfully, things have moved on and we are delighted that Government, in committing to end rough sleeping by 2012, is promoting and enabling opportunities for homeless people to break out of worklessness.

Developing skills and confidence

The value of work as the best route out of homelessness is now well established, with funding and services targeted specifically at this goal. Through the Ready for Work programme, BAOH has demonstrated that business has a role to play in helping people develop the skills and confidence they need to get back into the workplace. But it is only by working in partnership - business, government and the homeless sector - that we have been so successful.

In 2006, BAOH Board member Bain & Company conducted research for BAOH, which showed that one of the biggest barriers to employment was a benefits system that trapped people rather than enabled them to take up work. In that same year, I raised the issue of the benefits trap with the then Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown. The Chancellor challenged me to make specific recommendations about changes to the current welfare system to help facilitate a return to work for homeless people.

'Making Work, Work' NEF report

The report 'Making Work, Work' is in response to that challenge. Based on extensive research by the New  Economics Foundation (NEF), BAOH is proposing key actions for Government, companies and the homelessness sector, which together will significantly break the vicious cycle of ‘no job, no home, no job’. But to deliver sustainable change will take real commitment from all parties to collaborate, and together take concrete steps towards making work work for homeless people.

For our part, BAOH will review its own Ready for Work programme and make improvements to service delivery for the ultimate benefit of our clients. We also pledge to investigate with our partner companies what in-work factors make sustaining work more likely and then use our influence in the business sector to encourage others to make the changes that have impact.

But these actions alone are not enough – Government must make sure work pays and ensure that the right support is given at the right time to make the transition into work manageable for homeless clients. Hostel providers need to make sure that they establish the right conditions to support this transition.

Business Action on Homelessness

Business Action on Homelessness is a Business in the Community campaign and is a unique partnership between business, homeless agencies and Government.