In 2010, as part of a major programme of welfare-system reform, the coalition government launched the ‘Work Programme’ – a new approach to back-to-work support with innovation and sustainability at its heart. Worth an estimated £5 billion over seven years, the aim of the Work Programme was to tackle long-term unemployment by delivering a step-change in employability service provision in the UK. Through a ground-breaking ‘payment-by-results’ model, providers would receive the bulk of their payments only when successful in supporting a client back into sustainable employment. They would also be freed from prescriptive service delivery requirements and encouraged to innovate and tailor their services directly according to client needs.

At the time, Ingeus was already the fourth largest provider of welfare-to-work services in the UK, with around 10 per cent market share and a successful track record of helping job seekers to find employment. However, to be successful in winning contracts to deliver the new Work Programme, Ingeus would need to demonstrate that it had the capability to expand its operations significantly.

With long-standing experience of working as a trusted advisor to government and delivering highly complex, challenging programmes, Deloitte recognised an opportunity to go beyond our traditional advisory approach and to directly support the delivery of a public service. Through the ‘Work Programme’, we saw the chance to support Ingeus - a company committed to transforming the lives of the people they worked with - to significantly expand its business, drive innovation and create scale. Together, there was an opportunity to make a truly transformational impact on the lives of long-term unemployed people in the UK.

In 2011, Deloitte and Ingeus entered into a ground-breaking partnership, creating a joint venture which brought together the full range of Deloitte’s capabilities as a global professional services company, with Ingeus’s long-standing, global experience and deep understanding of how to help long-term unemployed people to realise their potential and re-enter the world of work.

From young people on JobSeekers’ Allowance, people with mental and physical health problems, to recently released ex-offenders and those people who have been out of the market for a long time acting as carers to sick or disabled relatives; the joint venture is already having a positive impact on the lives of the most vulnerable people in society.

Take 23 year old Mark Morrow from Merseyside, who had been job-hunting for almost two years without success before being referred to Ingeus by his local JobCentre Plus.

Mark was homeless for several years but turned his life around after becoming involved as an athlete in the Homeless Games. Ingeus helped Mark write an effective CV and taught him effective skills and techniques that would stand him in good stead during job interviews. Ingeus also helped him search for the kind of jobs that were of interest to him – and that’s when the opportunity arose to work in shop-fitting. Mark now visits superstores throughout the country ensuring their displays are fitted and maintained correctly.

Mark is also now a role model for other homeless people and in recognition of this, he was selected to run with the London 2012 Olympic Torch as it travelled through St Helens.

Every Ingeus client is different and East of England resident Jennifer Barton faced her own unique set of challenges. A 48 year old deaf mother of two, Jennifer had been trying unsuccessfully to find employment for over 12 years until she met her Ingeus Adviser, Nii who engaged the specialist services of Ingeus’ Delivery Partner, Clarion Communications, which helps people who are hard of hearing.

Jennifer’s deafness had meant that making contact with employers was challenging, but with the support of Nii and Clarion, this was easily overcome. Jennifer was accompanied at her interview by a translator and quickly landed a role as an online shopper for Sainsbury’s, a job she loves.

Speaking about her new role, Jennifer said:

“I am so happy to be back in work, even with the 6am starts! I’m really proud that my children have seen me overcome my problems to get back out to work – I hope I’m a good role model.”

There is also Wesley in the North East who applied for 1,000 jobs before joining Ingeus and now works in the care sector helping those with disabilities. And Gary in the North West, who thought his working days were over when he was made redundant, but found a new job at a construction company – his employer is now helping him to update his qualifications.

The impact of the work that the Deloitte and Ingeus joint venture is carrying out through the ‘Work Programme’ does not end with the individuals helped into employment. The wider benefits are felt by whole families, communities, employers as well as the wider economy. Those, who before lacked the skills, experience and confidence to enter the workforce, are getting another chance to achieve independence and make an important contribution.

Deloitte staff supported the joint venture in a radical transformation that touched almost every aspect of its business, including designing and implementing a new operating model and vastly up-scaling their UK operations. The organisation needed to double in size to deliver the new contracts - and develop and implement a new IT infrastructure - all in a matter of months.

Deloitte has continued to bring their IT and operations expertise to help the joint venture continuously improve its services. Most recently, we have implemented a leading edge data analytics project to help Ingeus to be able to identify the most effective ways to help clients realise their potential.

Through this successful joint venture some 200,000 people are now receiving the tailored support of experienced Ingeus Employment Advisers. Ingeus is now one of the leading providers of high-quality employability and related services and with its network of delivery partners, it currently delivers seven regional contracts from 200 offices across the UK. Our goal is to help tens of thousands of people into work each year over the next five years through the Work Programme and other employability programmes.

But the ambition does not end there. Our joint objective is to help as many people as possible to realise their full potential. We are now actively exploring opportunities in related fields that support our aims, such as vocational training, skills, offender rehabilitation and further services.