National Careers Service Evaluation

The aim of this project is to gain a robust, up-to-date understanding of the Value for Money of the National Careers Service. This work will inform the re-procurement process of the National Careers Service by providing evidence to inform future decisions on priority groups, funding incentives and delivery mechanisms.

The National Careers Service is available to anyone in England over the age of 13 providing impartial information, advice and guidance about learning, work, skills and the labour market, in order to support them: • Into sustainable employment, thereby reducing welfare costs as soon as possible; and • To upskill/progress into 'better' jobs thereby supporting productivity gains. The Service comprises: • A personalised guidance service for adults over 18; • A telephone help line; and • A website digital offer.

Research questions: • What is the value for money of the National Careers Service? o What are the benefits and costs of targeting the current priority groups? And the proposed alternative groups? o What are the benefits and costs of the current funding and incentive mechanisms? o What are the benefits and costs of the three delivery methods (face-to-face, telephone, and online)?

Specifically, we want to evaluate the priority groups the Service is currently targeting and whether they are still relevant in the current economic climate; • Including considering whether alternative groups should be prioritised • It will be important to establish the degree of overlap between the current priority groups and any proposed priority groups. • The current priority groups are: o adults aged 50 and over and who are unemployed, or at demonstrable risk of unemployment, o low skilled adults without a qualification at level 2 or above, o people with learning difficulties and disabilities, o adults who have been unemployed over 12 months, o 18-24 year olds not in education, employment or training (NEET), o Single parents with at least one dependent child living in the same household. Assess the current funding and incentive mechanisms; • We want to understand whether the current funding mechanisms are providing the right financial incentives to contractors and are, ultimately, leading to the best outcomes for those using the service or if there are alternatives that might be more successful in driving policy aims And evaluate the return of the three delivery methods with respect to their costs of delivery: face-to-face, telephone, and online. Additional information: Please note this EOI is subject to Ministerial Approval