From design to delivery, successful employability programmes rely on strong, enduring relationships with local stakeholders. This ensures support is deeply rooted in the local need. Embedding a programme within the community it serves helps create a support package that is both accessible to participants and aligned with the realities of the local labour market. These networks not only guide service users toward additional available resources but also strengthen the capacity of community organisations dedicated to supporting them.
Effective community engagement enhances all the programmes that Maximus delivers, but for some it is particularly vital. A recent example is the Refugee Employability Programme (REP), where strong local partnerships were key to effectively reaching and supporting potential service users. Commissioned by the Home Office, REP was a voluntary scheme delivered by Maximus across the West Midlands and North West of England. Launched in September 2023, the programme helped refugees integrate into UK society and secure sustainable employment.
1. Developing internal structures to support engagement
A core issue when delivering REP was building trust – not only with the refugees we aimed to support, but also with the organisations already embedded in these communities. Our pre-contract engagement made it clear that successful delivery of REP would rely on strong, authentic partnerships with local groups who could help us reach and reassure the cohort.
With this in mind, we embedded proactive community engagement into the design of the programme. Through dedicated engagement roles in each region, we were able to turn our community-based delivery into reality. We also understood the value of lived experience when recruiting for these posts to establish trust within the communities. This not only enhanced the authenticity of our engagement but also opened doors to wider networks. This helped us reach more individuals who were eligible for the programme.
2. Co-location
Integrating REP alongside existing services was essential to the success of our programme. One of the drivers of this was a commitment to a partnership based-approach with the relevant agencies and organisations. These included Jobcentre Plus (JCP), local authorities, housing associations, and refugee-focused charities and support groups.
In many instances, we were able to strengthen our partnerships with third sector organisations through co-location. By “co-locating” – basing ourselves in established organisations within the community – refugees felt safer and more comfortable engaging with services in a location they were already familiar with. One such example was in the Midlands where our team operated full-time out of the Watch Community Centre. The shared space enabled our teams to offer “on-the-spot referrals” when individuals came in for a specific issue, ensuring that their broader needs could be addressed quickly and holistically. Additionally, co-location fostered a more streamlined support system by reducing duplication of efforts across organisations, allowing for better coordination and resource sharing.
3. Proactive outreach
Our colleagues that were responsible for community engagement ensured that they were in the communities as often as possible, visiting community organisations, churches, food banks and other services that may have been accessed by service users. Our teams also built positive relationships with local authorities who were ultimately responsible for supporting refugees in the two regions. This was especially valuable as it raised awareness of the areas that our support was needed the most.
Our team also prioritised the building of effective relationships with local employers. This allowed us to create opportunities for participants by sourcing vacancies and helping to reshape recruitment practices, ultimately supporting employers to hire and retain refugees.
4. Preparing to handover
As the REP contract wound down – with referrals ending in January 2025 – our teams worked to ensure that there was no drop off in support for service users. To ensure consistent support for our service users we have worked closely with all our third-sector partners – developing a detailed guide signposting to alternative support available.
5. Lessons and successes
From the outset, we focused on building robust regional networks to support the programme’s success. By making local engagement a cornerstone of our delivery model, we earned the trust of both partner organisations and refugees. This approach enabled us to provide effective, person-centred support. We reached over 2,500 refugees, helping them take their first steps into employment through a fully voluntary programme.
