Youth Incentive Payments

Information about the publication of Ministerial Decisions

A formal published “Ministerial Decision” is required as a record of the decision of a Minister (or an Assistant Minister where they have delegated authority) as they exercise their responsibilities and powers.

Ministers are elected by the States Assembly and have legal responsibilities and powers as “corporation sole” under the States of Jersey Law 2005 by virtue of their office and in their areas of responsibility, including entering into agreements, and under any legislation conferring on them powers.

An accurate record of “Ministerial Decisions” is vital to effective governance, including:

demonstrating that good governance, and clear lines of accountability and authority, are in place around decisions-making – including the reasons and basis on which a decision is made, and the action required to implement a decision
providing a record of decisions and actions that will be available for examination by States Members, and Panels and Committees of the States Assembly; the public, organisations, and the media; and as a historical record and point of reference for the conduct of public affairs

Ministers are individually accountable to the States Assembly, including for the actions of the departments and agencies which discharge their responsibilities.

The Freedom of Information Law (Jersey) Law 2011 is used as a guide when determining what information is be published. While there is a presumption toward publication to support of transparency and accountability, detailed information may not be published if, for example, it would constitute a breach of data protection, or disclosure would prejudice commercial interest.

A decision made on 14 August 2012:

Decision Reference: MD-S-2012-0064
Decision Summary Title :	Youth Incentive Payments		Date of Decision Summary:	14 August 2012
Decision Summary Author:	Business Manager		Decision Summary: Public or Exempt?	Public
Type of Report: Oral or Written?	Written		Person Giving Oral Report:	N/A
Written Report Title :	Youth Incentive Payments		Date of Written Report:	14 August 2012
Written Report Author:	Business Manager		Written Report : Public or Exempt?	Public
Subject: Youth Incentive Payments (YIP)
Decision(s): The Minister decided to extend the non-statutory Youth Incentive Payment scheme from 01 September 2012 until 31 August 2013.
Reason(s) for Decision: In line with changes to the treatment of young jobseekers aged under 19 in the Income Support system, a Youth Incentive Payment scheme (YIP) was implemented from 5 September 2011 until 31 August 2012. This was funded from savings within the Income Support budget. The youth incentive payments encourage young people to make best use of the support available to them in terms of improving their employability and supporting them into paid employment. The YIP scheme ensures that individuals successfully completing approved voluntary work placements and intensive training courses receive a payment in respect of their reasonable costs and will further reward young people for successfully completing a 13 week voluntary work placement. The YIP scheme originally commenced from 5 September 2011 until 31 August 2012 with provision to continue this beyond August 2012 dependent on its success combined with other measures taken during 2011/2012 to support young jobseekers. The scheme has been successful and will now be extended for a further period of 12 months.
Resource Implications: Based on current take up the financial implication is approximately £50,000. This will be funded through the Income Support Budget.
Action required: Business Manager to notify the Operations Director that the scheme has been extended.
Signature:		Position: Minister
Date Signed:		Date of Decision (If different from Date Signed):

Youth Incentive Payments

Youth Incentive Payments (YIP)

Aim

To encourage young people to maximise the support available to them to:

Improve their employability; and
Move to paid employment

This scheme ensures that young people are paid reasonable costs whilst completing both voluntary work placements and intensive training courses.

The scheme also rewards young people for successfully completing a 13 week work placement by providing an additional bonus payment.

Basis of Scheme

This is a non-statutory scheme. As such the scheme can be amended or withdrawn without notice by the Minister for Social Security.

Duration of YIP Scheme

The scheme originally commenced from 5 September 2011 to 31 August 2012. This has now been extended until 31 August 2013.

YIP Scheme Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for a YIP payment the young person must:

Be available for full time employment (i.e. not in full time education)
Meet Actively Seeking Work (ASW) requirements
Be registered with the Social Security Department as ASW
Have a current Job Seekers Agreement (if appropriate)
Have completed a YIP Registration and Responsibilities form including bank details for payment
Be aged between 16 and 19 (up until the day before 19th birthday)
Have lived in Jersey continuously for at least 5 years immediately prior to starting intensive training or a VWP.

Authorised Employment Support Schemes

Currently the following Employment Support schemes are included and are able to authorise payments:

Advance to Work

Work Wise

Enhanced Work Zone

Princes Trust

Jersey Employment Trust

Other schemes may be added by the Department if required.

YIP Payments - Qualifying Conditions

YIP Training Bonus

The qualifying conditions for YIP Training payments vary depending on each scheme:
ATW: A trainee completing “ATW core training” within 8 consecutive weeks will be eligible for a bonus payment of £75. Core training will include a minimum of 9 identified “ATW core training” sessions plus the individualised training identified by a Mentor. A maximum of one training bonus payment is payable to an ATW trainee.
WorkWise: A young person successfully completing a minimum of 3 days and 12 hours of training or voluntary work placements per week for 8 weeks will receive a bonus payment of £75. A maximum of one training payment is payable to a WorkWise Customer.
Princes Trust: A maximum of 3 x £75 bonus payments may be payable to a young person engaged with Princes Trust. £75 would be paid for each 4 week period with a confirmed 100% attendance.
Enhanced Work Zone: It is not envisaged that any Training payments would be payable for young people only engaged with the EWZ team.

In all cases training activities will be pre-determined as qualifying and cannot be determined retrospectively.
Training must be to enhance employability.
Non-attendance on training without good cause is a breach of Actively Seeking Work regulations. This will trigger the Failed Job Seekers process, if appropriate. Any YIP Training payments for period will also be forfeited.

YIP Voluntary Work Placement

Payment of £35 per week made in arrears for each week a qualifying young person successfully completes a voluntary work placement.
They must work at least 3 days in a week for a minimum of 12 hours.
The VWP will be pre-determined as qualifying and cannot be determined retrospectively.
A maximum of 26 x £35 payments can be made to an individual Young Person. Placements do not necessarily have to run over 26 consecutive weeks or be 2x 13 week placements.
Non-attendance on a VWP without good cause is a breach of Actively Seeking Work regulations. This will trigger the Failed Job Seekers process, if appropriate. The YIP payment for the week and the VWP Bonus would also be forfeited.

YIP Voluntary Work Placement Completion Bonus

Following successful completion of a minimum 13 weeks continuous Voluntary Work Placement a bonus payment of £100 is payable.
A maximum of 2 x £100 payments can be made to an individual Young Person.
Non-attendance on a VWP without good cause is a breach of Actively Seeking Work regulations. This will trigger the Failed Job Seekers process, if appropriate. The YIP payment for the week and the VWP Bonus would also be forfeited.

Costs

The cost of running this scheme for the period 5 September 2011 to 31 July 2012 was £45,585. Therefore the estimated cost to extend this scheme for an additional 12 month period is approximately £50,000 assuming that a similar take up is maintained.