Research sheds light on employment barriers

A County Durham housing provider is helping build a clearer understanding of the challenges keeping people out of work, with research drawing on frontline experience to inform wider discussions about economic inactivity.

believe housing is working with Durham University to explore the barriers to employment and identify practical ways to help more people find and sustain work.

The partnership combines academic research with insights from believe housing’s employability team, which supports around 140 people each year into volunteering, training and employment opportunities.

Its first phase produced the report People, Place and Purpose: Understanding and Tackling Economic Inactivity, identifying barriers including poor health, caring responsibilities, digital exclusion, transport difficulties and limited local job opportunities.

Early findings have since been published in Social Policy Review 38, sharing lessons from County Durham with a wider audience.

Rachel Edmunds, corporate social responsibility manager at believe housing, said: “We are incredibly proud to see our contribution featured in such a prestigious publication.

“It demonstrates the value of bringing practitioner experience into discussions about policy and practice.

“Our team works with customers who want to move closer to employment but are facing a range of challenges.

“By bringing those experiences into the research, we’re helping ensure the voices of our customers and communities are heard.

“It’s encouraging to see lessons from County Durham contributing to a wider conversation about economic inactivity and how people can be better supported into employment.

“We’re now building on the next phase of the project, developing practical approaches that could help employers and employability services reduce barriers and create more opportunities for people.”

Dr Sanne Elbrink, researcher at Durham University Business School, added: “Economic inactivity should not be framed as an individual failing, but understood as a structural challenge requiring coordinated, compassionate, and flexible responses.”

Facilitated by Durham University’s Social Science Enterprise Lab and supported through its Smart and Scale programme, the partnership has now entered its second phase.

This will focus on developing practical approaches to reducing employment barriers and strengthening links between local employers, support organisations and communities.

Louise Taylor, executive director of governance and strategy at believe housing, added: “This project shows the important role housing associations can play in understanding and tackling the challenges people face.

“Our teams work alongside residents throughout County Durham, giving us valuable insight into the obstacles that can limit access to employment and other opportunities.

“A safe, healthy home provides the foundation for a better future, but support with employment, skills and training can help people build financial security, independence and confidence.

“By working with academic and regional partners, we can contribute valuable insight that strengthens understanding of these challenges and supports efforts to remove barriers that can hold people back.”

Want your business, product or service to be seen regionally and nationally? Bdaily helps you get your story in front of the right audience, every day. Find out how Bdaily can help →

Join more than 55,000 subscribers by signing up to our daily bulletin each morning here.