Reed in Partnership: Designing ‘Quick Start’ for better Employment Outcomes

The Challenge. Reed in Partnership sought a way to sustain the momentum created during its ‘Discovery’ workshops, where participants explored career possibilities, overcame barriers, and built job-seeking skills. The challenge was clear: how could participants continue their job search in a structured, supportive environment beyond their coaching sessions?

The Approach. Recognised an opportunity to bridge the gap between coaching and employment outcomes. Drawing from participant feedback during ‘Discovery,’ proposed and piloted the ‘Quick Start’ job-search hub—a dedicated space for job seekers to apply their newly developed skills in a collaborative, peer-supported environment.

Designed and implemented the programme with a focus on accessibility, structure, and participant empowerment, ensuring it became a seamless extension of the ‘Discovery’ experience.

Key Contributions:

• Programme Design & Delivery: Developed ‘Quick Start’ as a structured post-‘Discovery’ initiative, creating a dedicated space with job search tools, resources, and peer support.

• Piloting & Scaling: Successfully ran the pilot, leading to the programme’s rollout across all London Employment Zone (EZ) sites.

• Participant Empowerment: Integrated real-time job search activities, including CV workshops, mock interviews, and peer coaching sessions to build confidence and momentum.

• Operational Leadership: Oversaw day-to-day operations, collaborating with Personal Advisers to ensure participants received tailored support and guidance.

The Impact:

✔ Programme Expansion: ‘Quick Start’ was rolled out across Haringey, Brent, Stratford, Southwark, Newham, and Tower Hamlets, becoming a key pillar of Reed in Partnership’s employment services.

✔ Award-Winning Outcomes: Contributed to Haringey & Brent Employment Zones winning the coveted Reed Starburst Award for best business improvement—driving £1 million in profit.

✔ Increased Engagement: Helped raise workshop attendance to 70%, fostering a strong peer support culture.

✔ Sustainable Employment Results: Supported the EZ programme in achieving a 48% conversion rate into sustainable employment, with 81% retaining jobs after 26 weeks.

✔ Sector Recognition: Contributed to outcomes cited in key welfare-to-work reports, including those by HM Treasury and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

A Learning Experience in DesignOps Thinking:

‘Quick Start’ became a repeatable, scalable service model—an initiative that merged human-centred insights with structured processes and digital tools to drive measurable outcomes. It’s where I honed my ability to connect people, processes, and platforms to deliver impact—an approach that now defines my DesignOps work.