Employers share their perspectives on Jobs First

Colleagues from Change Waste Recycling, Total Security Services, Heritage Portfolio and Scotia UK share their insights and learnings from taking part in the programme.

 

What has the Jobs First programme meant for your company?  

For Caroline Bacigalupo, Head of Operations at Heritage Portfolio, it’s simple. “We are able to make a difference to someone’s life.”

There’s no doubt that employment opportunities are life-changing to people who have been affected by homelessness. But our employer partners have seen benefits to their wider business, too.

Graham Boylan, Account Director at Total Security Services, appreciated the recruitment support. “I saw it as an opportunity to allow Social Bite to help us recruit in what was a difficult area to do so,” he said.

At Scotia UK, CEO Gordon McLoughlin also saw positive outcomes, this time benefiting his employees. “Colleagues have been very engaged with the principle and actively motivated by the thought that we could make a real difference by changing our employment strategy in this way,” he reflected.

Louise Birnie, Director of External Affairs at Change Waste Recycling, agrees. Jobs First “brought new energy to the workplace and offered fresh perspectives that contributed to our company culture, fostering a more compassionate and inclusive environment.”

That’s not to say it’s always plain sailing though. “It highlighted the necessity of having an accomplished manager and tailored support in place. Ultimately, the programme provided lessons that we can apply moving forward and has made us more determined to continue our involvement,” Louise commented.

 

What have you learned about how someone’s housing situation affects their work opportunities? 

“Simple things like washing clothes, meeting attendance times, travel, money, all become tough when stability is missing,” says Gordon. “Having a home means so much to all of us and is often taken for granted. It’s really hard to get a job where you have no permanent address, or time to devote to the job itself if you are sleeping on a couch.”

Caroline thinks likewise. “You take for granted what you have and maybe don’t appreciate the challenges some of the candidates have. Especially around housing and without a fixed address, they cannot gain a national insurance number and therefore struggle with employment.”

A lack of an address is more of a hurdle in some industries, like security services, than others. “I understand that obtaining a reference, passing screening, passing vetting, obtaining licenses etc. can be extremely complicated and difficult to achieve without a home address,” observes Graham. “Many employers would be put off by it, but Social Bite did all the hard work in that regard. I don’t recall any issues in our screening process.”

Even if you have an address, the availability and flexibility of someone experiencing homelessness can also be a learning curve for employers.

Of Change Waste, Louise summarises: “we’ve learned that an individual’s housing situation can have a profound and unpredictable impact on their ability to fully engage with and succeed in the workplace”.

“Homelessness and housing insecurity are often fluid situations, with circumstances changing rapidly, which can create additional stress and distractions that affect focus and performance. Stability at home is critical for anyone to thrive in their work, and without it, the challenges they face are compounded.”

At Total Security Services, Graham had a similar experience. “The individual that we hired started on a full-time basis but then after their personal circumstances changed, they had to reduce to part time hours,” he remembers. Luckily Social Bite had made Total Security Services aware that these kinds of issues could arise, and they were able to accommodate the changes.

 

What advice would you give to employers considering hiring people with lived experience of homelessness? 

“We would strongly advise other potential employers to look at this programme,” offers Gordon. “It means so much to those employed but it also means a great deal to those around them.”

The key thing, the employers agree, is to go in with open eyes. “Start small and build up gradually,” says Louise. “Offer roles that allow for flexibility and growth. It’s important to match individuals to the right role based on their skills and experience rather than expecting them to immediately take on large, complex responsibilities.”

“I would recommend it providing the employer is flexible and reasonable in their expectations,” echoes Graham. “The individuals are likely to require additional training and coaching in their role but with time and effort they would hopefully blossom and become valued members of the team.”

“It’s also vital to have a supportive and understanding team in place,” continues Louise, “as well as an environment that encourages growth and development. Be patient and offer ongoing support to help them build confidence and skills in a real work setting.”

Prospective employers should also make use of the support that’s available. “I found Social Bite easy to work with and they supported the individual that we employed when we needed them to,” Graham reflects.

Caroline says, “I was skeptical as I didn’t know what to expect, but after four years, the support workers are incredible and we just wish we could offer more opportunities. Go in with an open mind, engage the existing team, and embrace the programme.”

In short? “Do it!”