As the campaigns of Labour, Conservatives and the Lib Dems shift into a higher gear this week, there's much talk about the prospect of a 'hung' or 'balanced' Parliament emerging post-May 6 and what this will mean for the country, the British economy - and of course for our private and public sector clients.

It's in everyone's interest that the UK economy gets back on its feet after the roller coaster ride its been on over the previous 24 months.

And a key indicator of economic health are the unemployment statistics that matter to everyone - whether you're a large and successful and thriving business, a medium-sized company, a charity or Government department.

In today's Times newspaper, it's leader article "Working Party" raised the interesting spectre of the replacement of the State's traditional role as destination for support for the unemployed with a radical shift to those organisations that are capable of fulfilling this function in a more dynamic, creative and results-focused way.

Such a downgrading of the role of the Welfare State would have been unthinkable only a decade ago, but because the current system is at breaking point and with increasing burdens being placed on public finances and the fear of public debt spiralling out of control, none of the main political parties are ruling out any option that will work.

Critics of Labour's New Deal Scheme argue that it has cost the taxpayer £5 billion but has resulted in fewer than one in four participants landing a job. Add to that the fact that one in eight of those claiming jobseekers' allowance has spent six of the past seven years on benefits and you see the size of the challenge of getting Britain working again.

The thinking about how to tackle this economic and social issue that affects us all is to use the talents of the private and voluntary sector rather than depend on the State to sort this out.

And although you may think this sounds like a Conservative inspired move, in fact such thinking has its roots in new Labour when Tony Blair challenged Frank Field, then Minister for Welfare Reform to 'think the unthinkable'. Well, it never became a key policy as successive Secretaries of State simply flirted with the idea.

That may be about to change.

Showing the way to a brighter future is Avanta, which has 20 years experience of helping people find a job and keeping it.

Avanta's visionary founder Janette Faherty OBE herself faced the prospect of unemployment along with the rest of her team when the company she worked for faced the bleak prospect of being folded after an unexpected short-fall in funding. Instead of giving up, Janette took over the organisation, securing the futures of those she worked with.

Today, that same organisation is Avanta - a beacon organisation that works at the forefront of the welfare sector and has expanded its work with individuals in order to secure sustainable employment based on understanding the needs of employers for appropriately qualified, skilled and trained workforce that's up to the job.

In 2008-9, Avanta reported revenues in excess of £41m, a 25% increase on 2007-8 and it continues to invest in its people, programmes and infrastructure which is making a real difference to the lives of hundreds of thousands of people every year.

So getting Britain working again could revolve around training organisations picking up jobseekers at the Jobcentre door and being paid according to their success in getting them back into work.

And what's really compelling about this approach is that the private sector has an obvious stake in making this a reality rather than leaving it all in the hands of the State.

 

---

Add this page to your favorite Social Bookmarking websites