“It’s been a great partnership for us”

The NSSL Group Holdings Ltd is a supported living company in the health and social care sector, providing accommodation for people with mental health and learning disabilities. Their partnership with Jobs 22, the DWP’s Restart Scheme provider for East Central England has proven to be an excellent partnership that has supported a local employer with their recruitment needs, while providing sustainable employment opportunities for people who have been unemployed for six months or longer.

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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 been involved with the Restart Scheme previously, working with other organisations elsewhere in the country, so when I started with NSSL, I wanted to continue that work, and Jobs 22 were the DWP’s Restart Scheme provider for our operating area, so I reached out to start the relationship, and we began working together.”

Christopher Tucker added: “We've been working with NSSL for just over a year now. When I started hearing about NSSL, it was in my previous role as an Employment Coach, where I would talk to my participants about the roles and vacancies that they had available. In my current role as an Employment Services Consultant, I now get to work directly with Travis and his team, where I support 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 have been extremely helpful. They would move mountains to help us arrange interview days, identify candidates and they really listen to what I had to say about the requirements for people that we would want to interview.”

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What are the benefits to NSSL?

Reflecting on the outcomes, Travis Thomas explains: “We've probably interviewed about 30 to 40 people. I would say our hire rate is about 20%, which is above the average for recruitment agencies, so it's been really good and beneficial for our company.

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“One of the benefits of working with Jobs 22 is that the access to candidates is free of charge. Working in supported living accommodation, our agency fees were very high. Jobs 22 has helped reduce those fees. You do have to put in some time and effort, but you’d have to do that anyway, even if you were going through your own recruitment process.”

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Helping local people

Blessing, a Support Worker at NSSL, shares her positive experience with Jobs 22, saying: “Oh, it was fantastic. Jobs 22 were 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 with my progress.”

Even after Blessing secured employment at NSSL, Jobs 22 continued to offer assistance: “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 a home. A place I would recommend to people looking for a job. They are very accommodating, and everyone looks after one another, so I feel pleased to be working for NSSL. It’s a very happy place to work.”

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A successful partnership

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

Travis Thomas would not hesitate to recommend Jobs 22 to other local employers, concluding: “Although there can be a stigma to the long-term unemployed, if you work with Jobs 22, 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 really nurture and excel with and help them find meaningful employment. It's been a great scheme and it's been a great partnership for us, and long may it continue.”

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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 [email protected].