Practitioner Perspectives on Pathways and Measuring Success in Public Employment Programmes
Public employment programmes (PEPs) are increasingly expected to prove their value in a constrained fiscal environment — often judged by a single yardstick: how many participants moved into formal jobs. But in a labour market marked by persistently high unemployment, extreme youth joblessness and limited formal-sector job creation, is that the right measure?
This practice note draws on the experiences of Strategic Implementing Partners (SIPs) across the Social Employment Fund (SEF) to argue for a broader lens — shifting from narrow “exit pathways” to a fuller understanding of livelihood pathways. It sets out four key insights from practitioners:
- Success extends beyond formal employment: Participants move into self-employment, further education, digital upskilling and diversified livelihoods, often combining several pathways over time rather than following one route out.
- Participation itself creates value: Building confidence, agency, dignity and a sense of belonging that underpin long-term livelihood security, even before any “exit” outcome is reached.
- PEPs generate broader community and societal benefits: Stipends circulate through local economies, strengthening social capital and addressing local challenges.
- Civil society capability building: Implementing SIPs themselves grow stronger through delivery, building institutional capacity that outlasts any single programme.
The note closes with three recommendations for government and policymakers: adopt a livelihood pathways approach to measuring success, measure capabilities and social value alongside employment outcomes, and embed practitioner evidence more systematically into policy and programme design.
Developed by Margo le Roux, Project Lead at the Economic Development Partnership for the Social Employment Network, based on practitioner insights from the Strategic Implementing Partners of the Social Employment Fund