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Economic Inactivity Trailblazer (Year 1 Evaluation)

A summary of the Economic Inactivity Trailblazer conducted by Kada Research

Economy Evaluation
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The North East Economic Inactivity Trailblazer is a £10 million programme funded by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and delivered by the North East Mayoral Strategic Authority between April 2025 and March 2026. The programme forms part of the Government's Get Britain Working agenda and aims to reduce health-related economic inactivity by bringing together employment, health and skills support. It focuses on improving pathways into employment, testing new approaches for economically inactive residents, and driving longer-term systems change. 

The first year evaluation assessed delivery, participant experiences and emerging outcomes, drawing on monitoring data, surveys, interviews and focus groups with delivery partners, participants and employers.

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Trailblazer summary in numbers

Selected findings from participant and employer surveys across individual programme strands

96%

cited learning new skills as most useful

84% gained practical work experience

84% built confidence in a workplace

(youth participants)

83%

felt more confident following support

72% made new friends through the programme

44% felt their mental health had improved

22% gained employment

(women participants)

5

organisations gained their SHINE accreditation following support

5 organisations became more disability confident

(employer participants)

Overarching summary

 

 

The North East Economic Inactivity Trailblazer was established to test innovative, locally led approaches to reducing health-related economic inactivity across the region. Delivered through a combination of local authority services, voluntary and community sector organisations, health partners and employers, the programme recognised that barriers to employment are often complex and interconnected, requiring more than traditional employment support alone.

The Year 1 evaluation found that the Trailblazer's greatest strength was its holistic, person-centred approach. Rather than focusing solely on job outcomes, delivery partners supported participants to address wider challenges including physical and mental health, caring responsibilities, housing issues, social isolation, confidence, digital exclusion and financial wellbeing. Support was tailored to individual circumstances, with trusted relationships, flexible funding and community-based delivery helping to engage people who had previously been disconnected from employment services. 

The evaluation highlights that effective engagement was most successful when delivered through trusted local organisations embedded within communities. Hyperlocal provision, co-located services and a "no wrong door" approach enabled participants to access support more easily, while stronger collaboration between employment, health and community services helped create more joined-up pathways into work. The programme also supported new partnerships, provision mapping and increased collaboration between services, helping to establish foundations for longer-term systems change.

Participants experienced a range of positive outcomes, including improved confidence, wellbeing, social connectedness, skills development, training and, for some, progression into employment. The evaluation identified positive examples of employers adopting more inclusive recruitment and workplace practices. For many participants furthest from the labour market, these softer outcomes represented critical steps towards future employment and demonstrated the value of measuring progress beyond job entries alone.

Overall, the evaluation concludes that the Trailblazer has demonstrated the value of flexible, integrated and community-based support in addressing economic inactivity. Year 1 established strong foundations for future delivery, showing that sustained partnership working, personalised support and a focus on underlying barriers can help create more inclusive pathways into employment while supporting wider wellbeing and social outcomes.

 

Headlines

A holistic approach helps residents overcome barriers to employment

The evaluation found that participants often faced multiple and interconnected barriers, including ill health, caring responsibilities, housing challenges, financial pressures and social isolation. The Trailblazer's person-centred model enabled providers to address these underlying issues alongside employment support, helping participants improve their wellbeing, confidence and readiness for work.

Trusted local organisations play a crucial role in engaging economically inactive residents

Community-based delivery was identified as one of the programme's strongest features. Support delivered through familiar and trusted venues such as libraries, community centres, family hubs and faith settings helped reach residents who may not otherwise have engaged with employment services and reduced barriers to accessing support

Positive outcomes extend beyond employment and qualifications

Participants experienced a range of positive outcomes, including improvements in confidence, self-esteem, wellbeing and social connectedness, alongside skills development, training and, for some, progression into employment. For many individuals furthest from the labour market, these outcomes represented important steps towards future employment and greater independence.

Strong partnerships are laying the foundations for long-term systems change

The programme supported increased collaboration between local authorities, health services, voluntary organisations and employment providers. New partnerships and local provision mapping helped establish foundations for more coordinated support and future systems change.

Quotes from participants

On confidence and personal development

"We've got one participant who didn't engage well with people socially and really struggled to maintain eye contact when he first started on the project. But when we did his participant voice, it wasn't the job that he was shouting about. He was shouting about how much more confident he is and how much more able he is to interact socially because he's gradually interacted within the Trailblazer project."

On reducing social isolation

"...some people who kind of have gone from like not even wanting to leave the house to kind of meet on a regular basis, having a coffee and things like that, so just small steps."

On wellbeing and confidence

"...the confidence when that's been boosted, it's like the mental health as well. You can see them brighter and lighter every single time they come."

On the holistic approach

"We have to provide more personal support, whether it's social isolation, whether it's housing. If someone is worrying about the condition of where they're living, we can't possibly ask them to think about work or think about training. We take more of a holistic approach."

Key findings

Holistic support helped residents overcome barriers to employment

The evaluation found that addressing wider challenges such as ill health, housing issues, financial pressures and social isolation was often a necessary precursor to employment. By focusing on the whole person rather than solely job outcomes, the Trailblazer enabled participants to build confidence, improve wellbeing and move closer to the labour market.

Trusted community delivery successfully engaged residents furthest from the labour market

Community-based organisations and familiar local venues played a critical role in reaching economically inactive residents who may not otherwise have engaged with support. Hyperlocal delivery, strong community relationships and a "no wrong door" approach helped reduce barriers to accessing services and sustain participant engagement.

Progress was achieved through both employment and wider personal outcomes

Participants experienced improvements in confidence, self-esteem, wellbeing and social connectedness, alongside skills development, training and, for some, progression into employment. The evaluation highlights that these outcomes are particularly important for individuals facing complex barriers, where progress towards work is often gradual and non-linear.

Partnership working strengthened pathways between health, employment and community support

The Trailblazer brought together local authorities, health services, voluntary organisations and employment providers, supporting increased collaboration between services. New partnerships, provision mapping and more joined-up working helped establish foundations for longer-term systems change.

Challenges and lessons learned

The evaluation also highlighted a number of delivery challenges and lessons for future programmes. These included the importance of effective coordination and communication between partners, managing administrative requirements and ensuring partnership arrangements support effective delivery. These lessons reinforce the need for proportionate processes, clear communication and continued collaboration across delivery partners.

Conclusion

The Year 1 evaluation finds that the Economic Inactivity Trailblazer has successfully engaged economically inactive residents through trusted, community-based support that addresses the complex barriers many participants face. Early evidence demonstrates positive improvements in confidence, wellbeing, skills and work readiness, alongside progression into volunteering, training and employment. The programme has also supported increased collaboration between employment, health and community partners, helping to establish foundations for more joined-up future delivery.

Recommendations

The evaluation identifies four priorities for future delivery:

  • Protect the person-centred model, maintaining holistic and flexible support that responds to participants' individual circumstances.
  • Make greater use of hyperlocal VCSE organisations, recognising the important role trusted community organisations play in engaging residents.
  • Reduce administrative burdens on smaller providers, ensuring requirements remain proportionate to organisations' capacity.
  • Seek greater flexibility around onboarding and administrative requirements, helping providers respond more effectively to participant and delivery needs.

What the evaluation tells us works

The evaluation suggests that effective support for economically inactive residents combines trusted community-based delivery with a holistic, person-centred approach. Participants were more likely to engage when support was delivered through familiar local organisations and settings, while addressing wider issues such as health, housing, finances and social isolation helped create the conditions needed for progression towards employment. Flexible, tailored support and strong partnership working between employment, health and community organisations were also identified as key enablers, helping residents access the right support at the right time and achieve outcomes ranging from improved wellbeing and confidence to training and employment.