Project Search FAQ's



Your questions about Project Search answered

 

Questions

Answers

What progress has been made with Project Search in this country?

Following a cross-government selection exercise in autumn 2009, 14 sites were invited to implement Project Search from September 2010 and take part in a government evaluation of the model.

There are no current plans to issue any more licenses for Project Search until the government evaluation has been completed. This means that only the 14 evaluation sites are able to use the Project Search model, its name or any materials or logos associated with the model at present. However, should the Government decide to expand Project Search in the future, information on how to submit a proposal will be posted on this website.

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What support is being provided to the sites taking part in the evaluation?

The Valuing Employment Now Delivery Team is providing support, advice and guidance to the sites taking part in the evaluation. Project Search consultants from the USA will work with the sites to help plan and prepare for implementation of the programme.

We held a three-day capacity-building event for for the sites in Norwich at the beginning of December. The event was facilitated by Project Search consultants from the USA, and all 14 evaluation sites were represented.

The Delivery Team has started to visit each of the sites to discuss local issues and potential barriers, and help the sites find solutions.

We have also included at the end of this page, some of the questions which were raised at the December event.

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What funding is available to the sites?

No new funding is available and sites are identifying funding from a range of sources, including local authority funding streams. There is information on how the Norfolk and Norwich Project Search site has arranged their funding in a case study on this site.

Some of the questions raised at the December evenr around funding are answered below.

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What is the role of the Project Search Tutor or Teacher?

The Project Search tutor or teacher is responsible for delivering classroom-based instruction to interns. In the Norfolk and Norwich Project Search site, the tutor has the following roles:

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Where are Project Search tutors or teachers found?

An effective Project Search partnership should normally include a local SEN school or further education college which would provide potential interns for the programme. Ideally, the school or college would also provide a tutor or teachers to deliver training at the Project Search site.

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What is the role of a Project Search job coach?

The job coach is responsible for providing 'on the job' support to interns and managers. In the Norfolk and Norwich Project Search site, the job coach has the following roles:

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Must Project Search sites use Remploy to access a job coach?

Several supported employment providers exist. Sites are free to work with Remploy or any other providers to access job coaches, or sites may wish to employ their job coach directly.

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Must a host employer be signed up for Project Search before proposals can be submitted?

It is not necessary to have a formal agreement with a host employer at this stage. However, proposals should consider suitable employers to lead Project Search in the area.

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What is a typical Project Search employer?

A typical Project Search employer is a larger employer, with more than 200 employees. They would normally have a range of different jobs suitable for people with learning disabilities and be likely to have at least some vacancies in some of these posts on a fairly regular basis. Examples in the USA include hospitals and bank operations centres.

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What types of job are suitable for Project Search interns?

Typical jobs could for example be in clerical or reception work, operations, customer service or catering. However, Project Search looks wider than the limited range of jobs traditionally associated with people with learning disabilities.

They will normally be routine, systematic jobs, but they can involve complex tasks that a job coach would use systematic instruction to teach. For example, in Cincinnati Childrens Hospital an intern prepares and sterilises all of the equipment kits for the hospital’s dental department. Project Search recruits employed at the Fifth Third Bank in Ohio are responsible for ensuring that transaction details on customer accounts are accurate and up-to-date.

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The following questions were raised at the Project Search capacity building event.

How can we fund Job Coaches?

Some sites have secured funding, for example through the local authority, to employ their own job coaches.

Other sites are advised to discuss with Remploy or other supported employment providers, options for accessing job coach support via Workstep. Sites should bear in mind that Workstep will be replaced by Work Choice from October 2010. Work Choice preferred bidders will be announced in February 2010, and those that have been successful will be announced in April 2010.

Following these announcements, sites should approach Remploy or the Work Choice provider for their area, to discuss the provision of job coach support through Work Choice.

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What facilities exist for providing job coaches and tutors or teachers with systematic instruction training?

Both Norfolk County Council and Remploy run 6-day training courses on Training in Systematic Instruction (TSI). We will notify sites when we know the dates of the next courses.

An accredited TSI course is available through the British Association for Supported Employment (BASE) from 1-4 February in Salford.

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How can we fund tutors and teachers?

All sites should have formed a partnership with a college or SEN school. Ideally, the college or school might provide a tutor or teacher through the existing education funding for the students on Project Search. In other words, funding for the students’ tuition in will the college or school would cover the cost of the tutor or teacher in the Project Search classroom.

In the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital and NORSE sites, City College Norwich successfully bid for Learning and Skills Council Development Funding to fund the tutor. It should be noted, however, that the Learning and Skills Council will cease to exist after 31 March 2010.

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How does Foundation Learning affect funding for tutors?

Foundation learning is focused on learners achieving a clear outcome eg employment. Within Foundation Learning (FL), personalised learning programmes are the main organising structure. Programmes must comprise a mix of vocational and subject-based qualifications, personal and social development qualifications and functional skills. The Personal and social development component can be larger for learners who are working towards independent living and/or supported employment.

Similarly, functional skills qualifications may not be accessible for some of the learners working towards independent living whose learning achievements are at the lower end of entry level 1.

Personal Progress qualifications can also be used to accredit outcomes from the other components of Foundation Learning programmes. It is possible to include guided learning hours, plus work-placements and self directed study to accumulate hours of overall learning

Education and training providers should consult the Foundation Learning Qualifications Catalogue to identify suitable qualifications. Learners can transfer credits between qualifications to avoid having to repeat their learning. The catalogue enables providers to drill down to the national database of accredited qualifications, giving full details of assessment method and number of guided learning hours – this will enable a calculation of funding to be arrived at.

The Learning and Skills Council is to engage a consultant to explore whether Foundation Learning is meeting the needs of learners with learning disabilities and/or difficulties.

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How will the transfer of funding from the Learning and Skills Council to local authorities impact on funding for tutors?

The Learning and Skills Council will cease to exist on 31 March 2010 and will be replaced by two funding agencies:

The funding formula, foundation learning, Additional Learner Support etc in General Further Education and training providers will continue to operate in the same way.

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How will interns be affected in terms of benefits they and their families receive?

Every individual’s circumstances are different so it is not possible to give definitive advice here. If any interns are receiving income related benefits, we would strongly advise them or their advocate to speak to their local Jobcentre or seek independent benefit advice from a welfare rights adviser.

However, being a Project Search intern should not have a negative impact on most of the benefits an individual or their family receives.

We know that Project Search interns in Norwich have continued to receive various combinations of the following benefits:

Interns will not normally be entitled to receive Jobseekers Allowance because talking part in Project Search will mean that they do not fulfil the labour market qualifying conditions of being available for and actively seeking employment.

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Page last reviewed: 28 January 2010