Bridgend County Borough Council commissioned Miller Research to undertake an independent evaluation of Quickstart Bridgend — a UKSPF-funded employability initiative designed to improve job prospects for unemployed or economically inactive people aged 16+, while supporting local SMEs to recruit and grow. The programme funded employers to provide supported, part-time placements (4–6 months), alongside wraparound support and a participant training budget.

What we did

Our evaluation used a Theory of Change approach (aligned to Magenta Book principles) to assess delivery, experiences, outcomes and value for money. It included:

• Desk review of programme documentation and monitoring data

• Scoping interviews with stakeholders and a collaborative logic model workshop

• Fieldwork with employers and participants: 8 employer interviews, 9 participant interviews, surveys (23 employers, 8 participants), and 3 case studies

• Thematic analysis and a cost benefit and counterfactual assessment

What we found

Quickstart delivered clear benefits for both participants and businesses, particularly given a short delivery window.

For participants, the programme provided a structured route into work, improving employability, confidence and wellbeing. Participants consistently praised the support received, and most said they would recommend the scheme. Reported barriers included transport constraints, finding roles that matched skillsets, and (in a small number of cases) workplace challenges such as bullying/harassment.

For employers, Quickstart reduced the cost and risk of recruitment—especially for SMEs and charities—enabling them to trial new roles, add capacity and, in some cases, support business growth. Employers were highly positive about the scheme and the support from delivery partners, though some highlighted confusion caused by multiple points of contact and delays in reimbursement for smaller firms.

Outputs and value for money

• 76 placements were achieved (vs an initial ambition of 100), with 68 completions.

• Of those completing, 46 were retained by their employer on a temporary or permanent contract.

• Final programme spend was £467,044.25 (from an original award of £900,000).

• Our analysis estimated a positive return on investment (reported as ~107.6% ROI), driven by avoided costs of NEETs, training benefits, employer wage top-ups, and local wage-spend impacts.

Recommendations

We set out practical recommendations to strengthen future delivery, including:

• Better promotion and clearer guidance on the £500 training budget, with stronger employer involvement in course choices

• More proactive, earlier opportunities for participants to raise concerns (especially workplace issues)

• Pre-placement support to reduce barriers (particularly transport) and improve readiness for workplace expectations

• Streamlining communications (ideally a clearer single point of contact) and digitalising elements of the claims process

• Clearer timelines and deadlines for employers to confirm outcomes for participants near the end of placements