Praise be! Taking an evangelical approach to welfare to work
It struck me the other day that a number of high profile providers have an almost evangelical approach to getting their clients back on the path to righteousness. I should quickly add that none of the people I have in mind have any kind of religious agenda, but there is something of the charismatic preacher about providers like Tunde Banjoko of LEAP, Phil Collett of GOALS or Ray Lewis of Eastside Young Leaders Academy, who’s also been championed by the Tories. The Australian force of nature Sarina Russo and or the UK’s own titan Emma Harrison could also be cast in the evangelical mould. No doubt ID readers could think of others.
These providers are characterised by energy, dynamism and charisma but crucially they use their own personal stories of transformational change as a platform to engage with and inspire their clients and probably their staff. And, let’s not forget, this is a valuable branding asset to sell their ‘product’. They are the product and their stories are central to the sales message.
This is certainly not a new phenomenon, old-timey religion, politics and business alike have a long history of these characters. These are the kinds of people who make change happen. The ‘I did it, you can too’ message is an incredibly powerful one.
So what does this mean for providers? Charismatic leaders who were once blind but now can see aren’t just lying around a dime a dozen waiting to deliver welfare to work services. Does this suggest that provision could use peer-to-peer ‘evangelism’, with ‘graduates’ working with friends and neighbours to encourage change? Sometimes this can happen through word of mouth, but how can that be built into a delivery model?
But crucially, does this more evangelical approach achieve more and better outcomes than those providers not blessed with a preacher for a leader?
Your angle's interesting but not sure about your examples.
Emma H probably did once have the interests of the unemployed directly at heart but I'm afraid despite the Secret Millionaire and suchlike I'm not totally convinced that now she's running such a vast company that these remain her real priorities. As for Sarina Russo - if "evangelical" equals "cult of personality on the scale of North Korea" then you may be on to something but otherwise again I think this looks a bit doubtful. Phil Collett however does seem quite driven, as does that bloke whose name I've forgotten who keeps turning up with his Robust coach outside various conference venues - even if he does have some suspiciously heavy looking bodyguards - there again coming from Peckham he probably needs them, if nothing else to stop his coach getting nicked.
It's certainly important to have some belief in what you're doing - Hugh Pitman, bless him, may be the poshest man alive but anyone who has seen him arguing for the rights of unemployed and unskilled young people would think twice before making ludicrous generalisations about privileged backgrounds meaning you can't possibly have empathy with "ordinary" people. (Mr G Brown, take note.)
The debate's worth having but whilst evangelism doesn't hinder, in my opinon it's not really essential as long as you have an overall understanding of who your "customers" (awful word) are.
"cult of personality on the scale of North Korea" - LOL!! :)
I think the evangelical/ charismatic approach might have best effect where there's fairly direct contact between the leader and the client (or should that be Dear Leader for some empire builders?!). That way the client benefits from that energising self belief- a bit like an inspiring teacher. So perhaps Ms Harrison couldn't be cast in this mould any longer, although I have heard she can be quite a motivating force for staff.
I guess there's a difference in motivating a client and enthusing them to move in employment and motivating staff and improving the prospects of the company - a la Jack Welch. Quite different objectives there!