The Access to Employment in NHS Health Care Support Worker Roles for People with Lived Experience of Homelessness pilot programme was delivered from April 2021 to September 2022 by a consortium of organisations with an expertise in policy and practice related to homelessness: Pathway, Groundswell, and the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH), along with the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) providing national and local support at different stages.

The aims of the access to employment programme: 

• to understand and address systemic and individual barriers to employment amongst those with lived experience of homelessness. 
• to support individuals experiencing homelessness into frontline healthcare roles

The programme involved the design and delivery of employment support and a training pathway for participants. This included the attainment of the RSPH Level 1 Understanding Health Improvement qualification, provision of pre-employment advice, access to internships, and placements.

An independent researcher from the National Institute for Health and Care Research Policy Research Unit in Health and Social Care Workforce, at King’s College London, was commissioned lead the evaluation in collaboration with representatives from key stakeholders, including participants with lived experience of homelessness.  The outcomes identified were as follows:

• 5 Trusts from different regions were involved in the programme, they all made at least one job offer.
• 20 individuals with lived experience of homelessness participated and were provided with training and support to apply for a health care support job in one of the participants Trusts.
• Half the participants were offered jobs and those who didn’t were brought into labour market, with the Trusts keen to signpost them to other opportunities and provide them with further support.
• This high offer rate is a testament to the support provided and quality of the 3- day pre programme course.

The full evaluation report can be found here

To learn more about our other public health programmes click here