Aim High Routeback (AHRB) was launched in Easington in 2005 to support people who have been on incapacity benefit for several years.

Easington was chosen for one of the 10 pilot schemes as it has the second highest incapacity claimant rate in Britain, with nearly one-in-five adults of working age claiming.



Since the scheme started, with 400 people taking part, a total of 151 are now back in work and a further 73 should be in employment by the end of the year.

County Durham PCT now plans to use the research from the project to launch a new county-wide programme in partnership with JobCentre Plus.

Funded by One North East and run within the Primary Care Trust (PCT), the project gave one-to-one support and advice on health and employment.

AHRB targeted less skilled, less healthy and less motivated claimants who have replaced the previously dominant groups of redundant miners, now largely retired.

Most of the incapacity claimants they worked with were extremely detached from the labour market, with more than half of claimants out of work for more than 10 years.

Aim High Routeback co-ordinator Joanne Benson said: "The remarkable thing about this project was the changes the clients were able to make to their lives which surpassed the original expectations of the project, in that clients achieved more than a return to work."

A high percentage of those involved in the pilot gave up or cut down on smoking, reduced their drinking and adopted more healthy lifestyles.

One 37-year-old client from Easington, had been out of work for 15 years with depression when she joined AHRB.

She had five one-to-one sessions looking at confidence and assertiveness before the pilot funded a distance learning course in administration.

She passed with flying colours in half the recommended time, completed a work placement and is now working 30 hours a week in office management.

Robin Beveridge, of One North East, said: "Aim High Routeback has proved the potential is there, particularly with clients who have mental health conditions who can find it especially difficult to regain confidence and manage stress at work.

"We are delighted that this pilot has laid the foundations for a county-wide programme in the future."

POSITIVE effects of the Aim High Routeback programme.

• Smoking – of the 37 per cent who smoked, 50 per cent have decreased the number of cigarettes and one person has given up completely.


• Another three per cent have increased the number they smoke because they have more money



• Alcohol – of the 77 per cent who drink alcohol, 32 per cent have decreased their consumption and three people have stopped drinking.


• The number of clients drinking more than the recommended amounts has decreased from 30 per cent to 11 per cent.



• Exercise – 38 per cent have increased the amount of exercise undertaken and the proportion taking no exercise has dropped from 41 per cent to 17 per cent.



• Diet – 27 per cent have increased their consumption of fruit and vegetables and 28 per cent have decreased their consumption of unhealthy foods such as crisps and chocolate.