A Way Back to Work - COVID Britain

The Problem:

With official confirmation that the UK has plunged into a recession once more; with an unemployment rate of 3.9%, 9.6 million people on furlough, the fear of a second wave of Covid-19, and the economic uncertainty caused by leaving the European Union; the future of the job market is precarious at the very least. Millions of people across Great Britain will be feeling apprehensive about their future job prospects. Although not always obvious, the social impact of employment precarity is often just as damaging as the economic. The stigmatisation for those unemployed, or those on low skilled jobs, is often far more damaging than the immediate economic impact.

Furthermore, basic skills such as CV writing and interviewing skills are often lacking in those who have grown up in low socio-economic areas. This is not helped by courses for these skills being too expensive for individuals to self-fund. With the competition for jobs going to be even tougher than usual, these skills are needed for showing why you are the right person for the job.

The Solution:

Working with housing associations across the country over the past few months, I have come to realize that they are more than just housing providers. These associations aim to enrich the lives of their residents through workshops and free courses focused on getting back into work. They also offer mental health support, foster a sense of community, and extend a helping hand whenever their residents need it.

I want to create awareness of how simple skills can enhance the chances of social housing residents getting a job.

CV: On average an employer will receive between 100 and 300 CVs for every position.

Interviewing skills: On average between 4 and 12 people will be selected for an interview.

The work is not done once you have the job. With the new universal credit scheme people can be left for 5 weeks without receiving any money. Moreover, it is not just people of working age in social housing. Therefore, financial management is extremely important in assuring those in social housing remain financially stable.

The importance of having access to simple skills such as CV writing can’t be underestimated. To get into employment, or to boost one’s employment opportunities, not only provides economic security, it also provides a way out of the social stigmatisation that unrightfully comes with it.

Some courses that could help housing association residents are:

• CV writing
• Interview skills
• Financial management
• Dealing with difficult people
• Managing Difficult Conversations
• Exceptional Customer Service training
• Food Hygiene
• Confidence Building

The Aim:

The aim of this blog is to encourage housing associations to look more deeply at the current economic and employment climate and to find solutions for their residents.