Now It's Personal: Learning from welfare-to-work approaches around the world
Article
Personalisation - tailored support offered to help people (back) into work - has become a dominant feature of many welfare regimes around the world. The role of the personal adviser is an important aspect of offering more flexible, tailored support into work. While the language may differ from country to country, the challenges that many governments face, such as reducing their welfare bills and improving cost effectiveness, are similar, as is the move towards a focus on getting people into decent jobs that they then retain.
These essays strengthen the case for citizen-centred welfare. They provide both advice and warnings to the UK's coalition government and providers across different sectors as to how to make a single work programme cost-effective and responsive to citizens' needs.
The contributors also raise important questions over how a diverse customer base will be supported, how to ensure that innovative approaches will not be squeezed out, and where jobs might come from in the future.
Related items
Making space: Meeting the needs of young women and girls through Young Futures
This is a critical moment for the government’s delivery of Young Futures Hubs, which can transform outcomes for young women and girls.Building the foundations for transformation in the NHS
The government has published a bold 10-year plan to transform England’s health system which, if fully delivered, will make the NHS of tomorrow look radically different from today’s service.Taking stock: Counting the economic costs of alcohol harm
Alcohol consumption across the UK is increasing. Government and employers must act to address the health risks.