BBO is having a significant impact on individual lives, supporting people to increase their confidence, independence and achieve their employment aspirations.
See what our participants have to say in these case studies …
Posted 10.05.2022
BBO programmes have been delivering across the D2N2 area for 4 years and have now released their findings from their fourth-year evaluation. This has been a difficult year during which all face-to-face provision was moved online and to telephone interviews due to the COVID-19 pandemic, impacting greatest on participants with complex support needs
The programmes are currently operating within their extension period which will see the projects close in March 2023. However, it is likely that referrals to the programme will close from October 2022 to allow the BBO programmes to ensure that they can help all beneficiaries into an outcome. At the time of writing, we are awaiting updates on the UK Shared Prosperity Fund which replaces European-funded programmes (European Regional Development Fund and European Social Fund) following the UK exit from the EU.
A key highlight in all reports is the additional difficulty created by ‘digital poverty’. Limited access to digital devices and data made it difficult to maintain the high level of service and saw projects ‘holding’ clients and focussing on their health and wellbeing rather than outcomes for the project. The complexity of issues which have arisen due to COVID-19 has included increased levels of poor mental health and social isolation.
Stakeholder Managers spent much of their time ensuring that projects were aware of the services that would provide the additional help and support needed for beneficiaries engaged on the programme and staff within the delivery partners.
BBO is a learning programme, and we still continue to focus on ‘what works’ for participants. It is noticeable that all strands of the programme report a unprecedented year where they have had to be extremely flexible to support both participants and the staff delivering the programme. The result has been reduced referrals and more disengagement from the programme.
Opportunity and Change have supported 1159 individuals since 1/10/2016. This is 134 more than profiled. The demand for the programme remained high with 219 new starts to the programme, despite the service being largely online and telephone support.
The Opportunity and Change report highlights that:
Money Sorted in D2N2 worked with 590 new participants during 2020. The number of participants was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown.
Towards Work have worked with 2909 participants, 393 more than in year 3. The evaluation covers 15 months for the period 1 January 2020 to March 2021.
The Towards Work report highlights that:
Towards Work have produce an infographic to accompany their evaluation report:
VIEW THE YEAR 4 REPORTS
Opportunity & Change
Money Sorted in D2N2
Towards Work
BBO is having a significant impact on individual lives, supporting people to increase their confidence, independence and achieve their employment aspirations.
See what our participants have to say in these case studies …