Better engagement for better outcomes - Taking a rapid test and learn approach to engagement with people out of work due to disabilities and poor health

By operating with agility and independence, and against the grain of usual DWP norms and procedures, this unit could quickly begin to establish the most effective ways to encourage people to engage with employment support and how to get the best outcomes from this engagement. [...] The EIU would also consist of a team leader to support and coordinate the work coaches; analysts who would gather, explore and present the data and evidence emerging from the team’s work; experts in behavioural insights, psychology and service design (DWP already has some of this capacity internally, including its Employment Data Lab, but could also look to draw on expertise and capacity from the. [...] Phase one: Getting someone ‘through the door’ The quickest and easiest way to initiate a rapid and iterative test and learn approach would be to begin by focusing on how people can be encouraged to simply attend a meeting to discuss employment support. [...] Given that the scope will have expanded from getting someone through the door to effectively supporting them, it would be particularly helpful to bring in additional expertise to help develop the knowledge and skills of work coaches and test the impact of this. [...] The availability and quality of such services will vary significantly by place, but the approach and capabilities of the EIU could help to create a taxonomy of the key components and characteristics of a local ecosystem of support.