An evaluation of the Connecting Communities Programme by City-REDI / WMREDI and The Institute for Employment Studies (IES).
The Connecting Communities pilot programme was one of six innovative employment schemes led by Mayoral Combined Authorities and funded by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
It started in 2018 and was due complete in May 2021 before being extended to March 2022 because of the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. The programme was delivered by nine providers, across nine electoral wards and uses a payment by results model. It is inspired by the Jobs Plus Model developed in the United States and has the aims of tackling unemployment and low pay. The programme aims to provide additional support to those living or working in disadvantaged neighbourhoods, including raising aspirations and improving awareness of job opportunities within the local community
WMREDI
The Evaluation Lab
West Midland Combined Authority
The four key aims of the evaluation were:
- Support WMCA, providers and partners to understand and maximise the effectiveness of the pilot
- Assess the impact of Connecting Communities on its participants, neighbourhoods, and local economy
- Understand how, why, where and for whom it has achieved these impacts
- Identify key lessons for future policy and practice
Information for Policy Makers
This evaluation will provide insights for design of policies to support place-based approaches to employment support.
Connecting Communities George Bramley, Rosie Gloster, Anne Green, Clare Huxley, Abigail Taylor, Miguel Subosa, December 2022