Working with the NSSL Group: "It's been a great partnership for us."

The NSSL Group, a supported living company in the health and social care sector, has partnered with Jobs 22, the DWP's Restart Scheme provider for East Central England. This collaboration has proven highly effective, assisting a local employer with recruitment needs while creating sustainable job opportunities for individuals unemployed for six months or more.

How it all started

Travis Thomas, Recruitment Manager at NSSL, sheds light on the origin of the collaboration, stating, "When I started with the NSSL Group, my brief was to build a new recruitment department. I'd previously been involved with the Restart Scheme, working with other organisations elsewhere in the country, so when I started with NSSL, I wanted to continue that work. Jobs 22 is the DWP's Restart Scheme provider for our operating area, so I reached out to start the relationship, and we began working together."

Chris Tucker added: "We've been working with NSSL for over a year. When I started hearing about NSSL, it was in my previous role as an Employment Coach, where I told my participants about the roles and vacancies that they had available. As an Employment Services Consultant, I now work directly with Travis and his team, supporting them in finding suitable candidates."

Supporting NSSL's recruitment

Jobs 22 provides a wide range of support to employers like NSSL, from promoting vacancies to Restart Scheme participants during their appointments and providing sector skills training, to organising interview sessions and hosting job fairs.

Travis Thomas commends Jobs 22 for their dedication, stating, "Jobs 22 has been extremely helpful. They would move mountains to help us arrange interview days and identify candidates, and they really listen when discussing our requirements for people that we would want to interview."

What are the benefits to NSSL?

Reflecting on the outcomes, Travis Thomas explains: "We've probably interviewed about 30 to 40 people. All were coordinated and followed up by Jobs 22 for the Restart Scheme. Our hire rate is about 20%, above the average for recruitment agencies.

"One of the benefits of being involved with the Restart Scheme is that the access to candidates doesn't cost our business anything. Our agency fees were very high.

"The Restart Scheme has helped reduce those fees, and Jobs 22 has helped us consider a wider range of candidates with different backgrounds. It takes time and effort, but you'd have to do that anyway, even if you were going through your own recruitment process."

Helping local people

Blessing, a Support Worker at NSSL, shares her positive experience with Jobs 22: "Oh, it was fantastic. The team at Jobs 22 was very supportive. They reassured me and helped me get back to work fully, and I'm happy for that. They were very good. They would arrange appointments for me and reassure me of my progress."

Even after Blessing secured employment at NSSL, Jobs 22 continued to offer in-work support: "When I started with NSSL, Jobs 22 would regularly call to check if everything is okay with me and if I'm feeling settled."

Blessing describes NSSL as a welcoming and friendly environment, expressing gratitude for the ongoing support: "NSSL is a place I call home. A place I would recommend to people looking for a job. They are very accommodating, and everyone looks after one another, so I am pleased to work for NSSL. It's a very happy place to work."

A successful partnership

The partnership between Jobs 22 and NSSL has proven to be mutually beneficial. Jobs 22 provides NSSL with well-matched candidates who are on DWP's Restart Scheme, and NSSL is able to recruit motivated employees like Blessing.

Travis Thomas would not hesitate to recommend the Restart Scheme to other local employers, concluding: "Although there can be a stigma to the long-term unemployed, if you partner with Restart, you will find people that are fighting against that stigma, that have put in the time and effort to essentially make searching for a job, a job. Those are the kind of participants that Jobs 22 nurtures and excels with and helps them find meaningful employment. It's been a great scheme, and it's been a great partnership for us, and long may it continue."

Get in touch

To find out how Jobs 22 and the Restart Scheme can help you, call Jobs 22 on 0333 242 2222 or email support.centre@jobs-22.co.uk.

If you would like to know more about NSSL Group, who provide support and accommodation to adults with a range of diverse needs, including mental health, learning disabilities, and substance abuse, visit https://nsslgroup.co.uk/.