Welfare to Work providers face a period of unprecedented change and expansion at a time when the world economy is in turmoil. December's welfare reform White Paper is explicit in turning to outside providers, in both the private and third sectors, to work with the most disadvantaged people in communities to get work. For the first time, this includes many of the 2.6 million people who are in receipt of incapacity benefit, a group which has traditionally been left by the state to its own devices.  The White Paper objective is to ensure that as many of those individuals as possible are placed securely in the world of work through a regime that is based on payment by long-term results.  Such a regime poses a series of challenges to the industry, in particular, the need for financial discipline and management effectiveness. This conference, organised by the financial specialists City and Financial, concentrates on the key structural and organisational issues that the industry must crack for successful implementation of the reforms.

Three issues are central. The industry needs to develop, as rapidly as possible, costed approaches that are effective in tackling the hardest to help. It needs to develop sophisticated consortia, combining both third sector specialists and private sector management expertise that are able to take on large, demanding, contracts. Already the third sector is working on the changes that will be necessary for it to play a full part in providing these services. The system of financial payments will be novel, requiring investment up-front and a return out of saved welfare payments. This will require full appreciation of the investment risk by participating banks.

If the UK is to prevent a generation from succumbing to long-term worklessness during this period of economic turbulence, it is vital that the provider industry develops robust programmes, consortia and systems at sufficient scale to help everyone back into the workplace.

David Freud
Nominated Shadow Lords Spokesman
on Welfare Reform 

Keynote Addresses
Tony McNulty, Minister of State for Welfare Reform
James Clappison, Shadow Minister for Employment and Welfare Reform

Conference Chairman
David Freud, Nominated Shadow Lords Spokesman on Welfare Reform
 
Department for Work and Pensions Speakers
Alan Cave, Delivery Director, Delivery Directorate, Department for Work and Pensions
Tracy Hughes, Head of Delivery Strategy, Department for Work and Pensions

Other Expert Speakers
Breege Burke, Managing Director, Working Links
Beth Carruthers, Director Employment Services, Remploy
Anne Fairweather, Head of Public Policy, The Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC)
Kevin Finnigan, Director of Employment and Training, Prospects
Tony Hawkhead, Chair of Third Sector Taskforce and CEO, Groundwork
Richard Johnson, Managing Director, Welfare to Work, Serco Civil Government
Dr. Peter Kyle, Deputy Chief Executive, Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations (ACEVO)
Jonathan Lewis, CEO, Futurebuilders
Mark Lovell, Executive Chairman, A4e
Jenny Ross, Manager, Ingeus Centre for Policy and Research
Susan Scott-Parker, Chief Executive, Employers' Forum on Disability
Mark Serwotka, General Secretary, Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS)

The event is being held at:
Thistle Marble Arch
Bryanston Street
London W1H 7EH
Tel: 0870 333 9116      
Fax: 0870 333 9216
Website: www.thistlehotels.com/marblearch

Nearest Tube Stations:
Marble Arch (Central Line)
Bond Street (Central & Jubilee Lines) 

• Welfare-to-Work Services (Documentation)