We’re no longer going to be providing spot purchase places on our Tenancy & Independent Living Skills (TILS) training as of the end of the year!
We’ve propped it up and tested the model endlessly. The truth is that it’s not valued. Referrals are made and it’s left to us to get an anxious young person, with whom we have no relationship, in the room. Unsurprisingly attendance is usually about 30% lower than anticipated and we lose money.
It would work if we doubled the price. However, the time has come. What we do is of value. And if commissioners don’t value it enough to buy it on some kind of medium-term basis that allows us to plan and recruit staff, then they don’t want it.
Of course it’s a risk. A risk to the entire organisation. But the risk of continuing the current model is greater – a risk to our quality, a risk to our bank balance, not fair on young people when courses get cancelled and not fair on staff who plan them.
This will hit individual social workers the most. Those that do individually hugely value it, but have little influence to ensure it is commissioned across the board.
Over the coming months we’ll be promoting the options to commission TILS+ for your service. We’ll be launching it on 29th November.
