"Our Shared Promise on Customer Care" has been launched by the Rt. Hon Jim Knight MP, Minister of State for Employment and Welfare Reform. Our Shared Promise represents a sector-wide commitment to participants in welfare-to-work programmes. It sets out what customers can expect and what is expected of customers in return.
It includes commitments from providers to:
- Listen to customers and provide support based on each customer's circumstances and needs
- Help customers identify and make the most of their strengths
- Make the best use of the customer's time, taking account of personal circumstances and by being clear when things need to happen
In return, jobseekers are asked to:
- Take responsibility for preparing for and searching for work
- Help providers to understand what is important to them and the help they need
- Fulfil their responsibilities under the benefits system.
Our Shared Promise was developed by ERSA (Employment Related Services Association), the representative body for independent providers of publicly funded welfare-to-work programmes and is supported by the Department for Work and Pensions, including Jobcentre Plus, the Association of Learning Providers (ALP) and the British Association for Supported Employment (BASE).
Commenting on the launch, ERSA Director, Amanda McIntyre said: "Our Shared Promise sets out a consistent message on good customer care, reflecting what customers can expect and what is expected of them in return. We believe that customers need this clarity as back-to-work support becomes more flexible and tailored to meet each customer's circumstances and needs.
Jim Knight, Minister for Employment at Welfare Reform said: "I very much welcome this work from ERSA. It is vitally important that customers get the right treatment and the right support to find sustainable work, whether from Jobcentre Plus or our provider partners.
"Both the Shared Promise and the DWP's Customer Charter are a statement of our joint commitment to good quality customer service and I am delighted to be able to launch the promise today."
www.ersa.org.uk
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