Glossary

  • Advisor Discretionary Funda, ADF

    A Jobcentre Plus initiative where funding is available from a discretionary fund. Available when there is a need to provide financial support to help individuals into work or sustain employment which is unable to be met from other established funding streams, e.g. to tackle and overcome community barriers such as the neighbourhood lacking affordable childcare or poor transport links, with the balance used to help individual customers to move into or stay in work.


  • Black Minority Ethnic, BME

    Black and Minority Ethnic persons or groups


  • Business to Business, B2B

    A transaction that occurs between two companies as opposed to a transaction involving a consumer. The term may also describe a company that provides goods or services for another company.


  • Business to Consumer, B2C

    A business that sells products or provides services to end-user consumers. It is often contrasted to B2B, or business-to-business.


  • Business to Employee, B2E

    This is an approach in which the focus of business is the employee, rather than the consumer.


  • Chartered Institute of Environmental Health, CIEH

    An independent organisation representing the interests of the environmental health profession.


  • Chartered Institute of Marketing, CIM

    CIM are the leading international body for marketing and business development. Each year they help over 50,000 people at every stage of their career with training, qualifications and resources as well as enabling leading businesses to get the most from their marketing people.


  • City & Guilds, C&G

    An Awarding Body - City & Guilds offers learners over 500 qualifications in 28 industry areas, so that they can learn skills that equip them to fulfill their career ambitions or enrich their leisure time.


  • Continuous Improvement Plan, CIP

    A Continuous Improvement Plan is a set of activities designed to bring gradual, but continual improvement to a process through constant review.


  • Deprived Area Fund, DAF

    The purpose of the fund is primarily aimed at adding value to current mainstream services offered by Jobcentre Plus.


  • Employment Zone, EZ

    Employment Zone is a three-stage programme offering you practical support to get back to work if you live in certain areas of the UK.


  • English for Speakers of Other Languages, ESOL

    If English isn't your main language, you can do a course to help you improve your English. These courses are called ESOL or English for Speakers of other Languages.

    Improving your English will make it easier to:
    o talk to doctors and teachers
    o understand the laws and customs of the UK
    o do a course and get a qualification
    o help your child with homework
    o pass the Life in the UK test and become a British citizen


  • Entry to Employment, e2e

    Programme delivered by TNG and other providers to 16 - 19 year olds. Training covers three main areas; Skills for Life and Key skills, Vocational training and Personal and Social development.


  • Environmental Task Force (New Deal 18-24), ETF

    The Environmental Task Force is an integral part of New Deal for young people. It is a programme that aims to assist young people into work. It is aimed at 18 - 24year olds who have been unemployed for six months or more. It aims to improve employability by offering young people the opportunity to gain valuable experience of a working situation that includes training, and the chance to play a part in improving the environment.


  • Ethnic Minority Outreach, EMO

    The EMO pilot started in April 2002. As part of New Deal Next Phase, it was designed to be implemented through a range of projects located within communities, and to work with local Jobcentres and other providers or agencies to respond to a diverse range of needs through various provisions.


  • European Computer Driving License, ECDL

    Basic IT Qualification - ECDL Foundation is the global governing body of the world's leading end-user computer skills certification programme, European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL).


  • European Social Fund, ESF

    The European Social Fund (ESF) was set up to improve employment opportunities in the European Union and so help raise standards of living. It aims to help people fulfill their potential by giving them better skills and better job prospects.


  • External Verifier, EV

    The role of an External Verifier is to monitor the quality of an awarding body qualification at its Approved Centres to ensure that they are being conducted according to the terms agreed in the approval documentation and continuously meet the set standards.


  • Gateway to Work, G2W

    A compulsory two-week course in personal and job seeking skills, which forms part of the Gateway period. It helps participants improve their communication, team working and problem solving skills. It focuses on the importance of presentation, punctuality, timekeeping and management in order to find work. It also offers advice and guidance with job applications, CV writing and job interview techniques.


  • Incapacity Benefit, IB

    UK Incapacity Benefit can be paid to people who cannot work because they are sick or disabled and are too young to get a UK State Pension – under 60 for women and under 65 for men.
    The rules for UK Incapacity Benefit and the amount you get depend on whether your incapacity is short-term or long-term. Benefit is usually paid at three basic rates:
    o short-term (lower rate) for the first 28 weeks;
    o short-term (higher rate) from the 29th to 52nd week; and
    o long-term rate from the 53rd week.


  • Income Support,

    If you can't be available for full-time work and don't have enough money to live on, you may be able to get Income Support benefit. Whether you qualify or not and how much you get depends on your circumstances.

    You may be able to get Income Support if you're aged 16 to 59 and any of the following apply:
    o you're a lone parent
    o you're registered sick or disabled
    o you're a student and either a lone parent or disabled
    o you're caring for someone who's sick or elderly

    and the following apply:
    o you don't have savings of £16,000 or more
    o you're not working, or work on average less than 16 hours a week

    You may also be entitled to Income Support if you have a low income and:
    o you're sick and your Statutory Sick Pay is less than the amount of Income Support you would be entitled to
    o you or your partner or civil partner are not working because of parental leave
    o you're on paternity leave


  • Individual Learning Plan, ILP

    An Individual Learning Plan sets goals, targets and timescales.


  • Information Advice and Guidance, IAG

    Information Advice and Guidance services.


  • Information and Communications Technology, ICT

    Information and communications technology is the computing and communications facilities and features that variously support teaching, learning and a range of activities in education.


  • Initial Assessment, IA

    Initial Assessment assesses starting levels and identifies appropriate training opportunities.


  • Institute of Leadership and Management, ILM

    The Institute of Leadership and Management is the UK's premier management organisation. They partner with individuals and employers across the world to improve leadership and management performance through our flexible range of learning and development solutions.


  • Intensive Activity Period, IAP

    The Intensive Activity Period provides a longer period of help and support for participants who have not managed to secure employment.


  • International Management Qualification, IMQ

    International Management Qualifications (IMQs) – are specially developed qualifications for managers and leaders studying abroad.


  • Investors in People, Investors in People

    Investors in People profile is a powerful tool for business improvement. The profile uses the Investors in People Standard as a foundation, to open fresh possibilities for improvement by embracing a wide range of people management issues which are not contained in the Standard itself. Using the profile to explore these issues in depth can help you keep a step ahead in the marketplace.


  • Job Activity Coaching, JAC

    JAC is a unique and innovative complete jobsearch solution developed by TNG.


  • Jobcentre Plus, JCP

    Jobcentre Plus is a government agency supporting people of working age from welfare into work, and helping employers to fill their vacancies. They are part of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and play a major role in supporting the Department's aim to 'promote opportunity and independence for all through modern, customer-focused services'.


  • Key Skills,

    Key Skills are the essential skills that everyone needs to succeed in education and training, in work and in life in general.


  • Learning & Skills Development Agency, LSDA

    LSDA has evolved into two separate organisations. Its policy and strategic work have moved to the Quality Improvement Agency for Lifelong Learning (QIA) - a new NDPB responsible for quality improvement across the learning and skills sector. LSDA programmes, research, training and consultancy projects continuing after April 2006 are being delivered by the Learning and Skills Network (LSN).


  • LSC, Learning and Skills Council

    The Learning and Skills Council is responsible for funding and planning education and training for over 16-year-olds in England


  • National Vocational Qualification, NVQ

    National vocational qualifications (NVQs) are work-related, competence-based qualifications. They reflect the skills and knowledge needed to do a job effectively, and show that a candidate is competent in the area of work the NVQ framework represents. NVQs are based on national occupational standards. These standards are statements of performance that describe what competent people in a particular occupation are expected to be able to do. They cover all the main aspects of an occupation, including current best practice, the ability to adapt to future requirements and the knowledge and understanding that underpin competent performance.


  • New Deal Personal Advisor, NDPA

    All New Deals start with an interview with a New Deal Personal Adviser who supports the participant throughout his or her time on the programme.


  • Offender Learning and Skills Service, OLASS

    In July 2006 the LSC took responsibility for offender learning and skills across England via OLASS. OLASS works to ensure that offenders have access to learning and skills to enable them to gain the skills and qualifications they need to enter employment or self-employment.


  • OFSTED,

    Ofsted inspect and regulate to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages.


  • Personal Development Plan, PDP

    A personal development plan is a tool to:
    o list your areas for development
    o list what learning activities you are going to undertake to achieve this development
    o state how the development links in with your individual needs, as well as those of your patients/clients and organisation
    o indicate the evidence that will show achievement of the learning in your plan.


  • Promoting Women's Enterprise Support, PROWESS

    Prowess is a network of organisations and individuals who support the growth of women's business ownership. Our work encompasses raising awareness, sharing of best practice, advocacy and information.


  • Severe Disablement Allowance, SDA

    Since April 2001 it has not been possible to make a new claim for Severe Disablement Allowance (SDA). Before April 2001, you may have been able to claim it if you'd been unable to work for at least 28 weeks in a row because of an illness or disability. You can't make a new claim for Severe Disablement Allowance. But if you've been getting the allowance before April 2001, you'll continue to receive it.


  • Skills Funding Agency, SFA

    The Skills and Funding Agency fund and regulate adult FE and skills training in England. They are part of a network of organisations in the country who commission, manage and market training for adults.


  • The National Institute of Adult Continuing Education, NIACE

    NIACE exists to encourage more and different adults to engage in learning of all kinds. They campaign for – and celebrate the achievements of – adult learners, young and old, and in all their diversity. NIACE is the largest organisation working to promote the interests of learners and potential learners in England and Wales.


  • Voluntary Sector Option (New Deal 18-24), VS

    New Deal is an initiative at the heart of the Government's Welfare to Work programme which tackles long term unemployment. It is designed to help 18-24 year olds who have been out of work for six months or more and are claiming Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA), to get a job and enhance their employability through provision of high quality work, education and training.

    At the heart of the New Deal is a commitment to help young people find employment through a route appropriate to their needs. It is about giving individuals a choice and the opportunity to return to employment. After an initial period of intensive jobsearch, help and advice called the Gateway, during which the young person will draw up an Action Plan, there will be a choice to take up one of four options available, and make the best effort to develope necessary skills and training.
    There are four options available within the New Deal:-
    o Work in a subsidised job with an employer
    o Full-Time Education or Training to obtain a recognised qualification
    o Work with the Voluntary Sector
    o Work with the Environmental Task Force


  • Work Based Learning for Adults, WBLA

    Work Based Learning for Adults is a voluntary full-time training programme mainly aimed at people aged 25 and over who have been unemployed for six months or longer and are claiming Jobseekers Allowance or another qualifying benefit.


  • Work Life Balance, WLB

    The term "Work-life balance" was coined to address the unhealthy life choices that many people were making; they were choosing to neglect other important area of their lives such as family, friends, and hobbies in favour of work-related chores and goals.