It is common for people without work to experience not one, but multiple barriers to employment. Success Themes in Supportive Employment identifies practices that contribute to the success which certain social enterprises are having employing such individuals. The success is reciprocal. The individuals transform their lives, infact many barriers are eliminated by the job opportunity itself. The social enterprises, termed Employment Social Enterprises (ESEs), benefit greatly from dedicated and skillful employees. The community benefits by having additional workers who contribute skills, energy, creativity and tax dollars.

This report describes the key practices of ESEs that have been highly successful employing people who face multiple barriers to employment. It is based on extensive research, including a thorough literature review and interviews with 50 well-established ESEs. The research explored 1) the best practices, 2) the models, 3) the systems and 4) the supportive framework for the training and employment of people who experience multiple barriers. Conversations with them focused on their human resource (HR) and employment support practices and policies.

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Table of Contents

1.0 Executive Summary
2.0 Glossary
3.0 Preface
4.0 Background
     4.1 Purpose
     4.2 Literature Review
     4.3 Research Purpose
     4.4 Research Methodology
     4.5 Importance of Context
5.0 Snapshot of Social Enterprises
     5.1 Profile of Social Enterprises
     5.2 Profile of Employees
     5.3 Profile of Barriers
6.0 Findings
     6.1 Determining Workforce Mixture
     6.2 Common HR Practices 
        1. Workforce Mixture 
        2. Flexibility & Accommodation
        3. Recruitment & Hiring 
        4. Onboarding & Training
        5. Supervision 
        6. Life Supports 
        7. Wages & Financial Incentives 
        8. Financial Literacy 
        9. Non-wage Supports 
        10. Community Building & Org. Culture 
        11. Performance
     6.3 Inventive Practices
7.0 Financial Implications
     7.1 Cost of HR & Employment Supports
     7.2 Measuring the Cost
8.0 Impacts & Challenges
     8.1 Impacts for Target Employees
     8.2 Challenges Faced by Social Enterprises
9.0 Impact Measurement
10.0 Supportive Eco-System for Growth
11.0 Conclusion
12.0 Recommendations
     12.1 Recommendations to SEs
     12.2 Recommendations for Policy Makers
     12.3 Recommendations for Researchers
     12.4 Recommendations for Community