GRoW App highlighted in IES Work in Progress Commission Report

The Institute for Employment Studies Commission on the Future of Employment Support has just published it’s interim report. It is a call for personalised services that meet the needs of the individual and help them to develop the skills and confidence to move into work. It gives key characteristics of services that say they should be empowering, efficient, equitable, sustainable, joined up and deliverable.

We are delighted that they highlighted the GRoW App as a way of using IT to improve services. The Commission head evidence of how technology being used to positively improve services and support for those who are more disadvantaged in the labour market. This included initiatives to enable more flexible and ‘on-demand’ contact, to help people stay in touch with each other, and to widen access to other services that could help them (like budgeting, wellbeing and skills support).

Talking about the App the report states:

“Using digital technology to enhance services: the GRoW app Belina Consulting’s Get Ready for Work (GRoW) programme won the innovation award at the
2021 ERSA national conference for its GRoW App.
The programme, which is co-financed by the ESF, provides employment support to women with childcare and caring responsibilities, particularly lone parents. The app is a bespoke social networking site just for programme participants. The rationale for developing the app was
threefold: to better enable dialogue with those delivering the service and between participants; to provide a platform to enable access to a wider range of support; and to help socially isolated individuals to feel part of a community.
The app allows participants to access and read resources at any time (particularly important for parents who are restricted by school and childcare hours) and includes content tailored for different audiences. The app also allows quick feedback to be gathered to help shape support (for example, asking people after group sessions what they would like to focus on in the next session). It includes weekly job bulletins, written information, advice and guidance, motivational
activities, and a calendar of events that provides quick links for registration. Rather than receiving multiple, separate emails, information is collated within the app for ease, which helps individuals to plan their time during the week. Jobseekers can also interact as part of an online community, for example by joining online ‘coffee mornings’. Similarly, connecting through the app (including by commenting on or liking posts) creates a positive association with activities and encourages others to get involved.”