Diversity Talent Key
Exemplas isn’t just committed to delivering effective projects: we’re also committed to developing effective programmes - and delivering them in effective ways - as Diversity Talent Key illustrates.
The connection between personal - and professional - development
Recognising how important personal development is to the employability agenda; how relevant barrier identification can be for those furthest from economic activity; and, how wide-reaching the benefits of personal skills development can be, Exemplas has transformed a commercial model, developed by The Talent Foundation as a primer for Corporates seeking to support employees’ personal and professional development – and taken the benefits to a far wider audience.
Building on evidence showing that cognitive approaches and priming initiatives can enhance the effectiveness of subsequent interventions, Diversity TalentKey has been developed, adapted and fine-tuned to respond to a range of circumstances, needs and objectives. It’s been informed by Exemplas’ expertise with hard to reach customer groups, and the input of partners and specialist organisations; and, has become an integral part of many employability focussed programmes.
“DTK™ makes entire sense. We were impressed with the way it enables people from a range of different backgrounds to understand what might be their barriers to learning and getting a job and how to overcome them. What is certain is there is no point putting people on expensive training courses if they are not mentally ready to make the most of them.”
Jobcentre Plus client
Overcoming multiple barriers
Working with Jobcentre Plus, Exemplas delivered Diversity TalentKey to the long-term unemployed, helping beneficiaries to work out where their barriers are – and what they needed to do to overcome them.
Working with charities and disability experts, Exemplas created an accessible version for those with additional needs, supporting deaf and blind entrepreneurs seeking to start their own business.
Diversity Talent Key has been used as a primer for further externally funded NVQ qualifications and job seeking in the LSC-funded ‘Get Set Build’ project which supported women into non traditional sectors.
It has been incorporated into the ‘RESPECT’ project, an Exemplas-led LSC-funded initiative which offered female ex-offenders and their dependents a comprehensive and holistic package of support, also including assertiveness training and ongoing employability skills.
Working with hard to reach groups
Through council managed IiC funding, Diversity TalentKey has been delivered – in conjunction with assertiveness training and enterprise awareness - to ethnic minority female groups who often feel marginalised.
It’s been delivered in Polish to support a group marginalised by language barriers; and, through ‘Get Set Build’ and ‘RESPECT’, Diversity TalentKey has been run in family friendly hours to enable single parents to benefit from the provision.
Diversity TalentKey has been developed into a flexible programme that really works, that adds impact and value to public investment – and, that really makes a meaningful difference to beneficiaries’ lives.