Who we are

The Employment Related Services Association (ERSA) is the trade body for organisations delivering or with an interest in employment related services – sometimes called welfare to work.  Established in 2005, we exist to help our members achieve their shared goal: to help people gain sustainable employment.

Who we represent

ERSA represents organisations that deliver, or have an interest in the delivery, of employment related services. The scope of our reach includes skills provision, self-employment, offender related services, welfare reform and disability-related issues, as well as the design and delivery of employment programmes. 

Our membership spans the private, voluntary and public sectors and it is this diversity that gives ERSA the authority to speak on behalf of the entire employment related services sector.  ERSA’s members range from multi-nationals through to small specialist charities operating in their local communities.

What we do

Our objectives are simple. They are to:

• Be the representative voice for the entire employment related services sector
• Improve standards for the benefit of all jobseekers; and
• Ensure a fair and effective market for the commissioning and delivery of employment services.
• As part of this, ERSA undertakes research into good practice, campaigns for policy changes that will help both the industry and jobseekers and supports a range of initiatives aimed at driving up standards of delivery.  This includes the set up of the Institute of Employability Professionals (IEP). 

How we do it

ERSA’s organisational values guide the way it does business. ERSA seeks to be:

• Transparent – it conducts business in an open manner to ensure the confidence of all members and stakeholders;
• Inclusive – it ensures that the voices of all members are heard and support is equally available, regardless of size or sector
• Informed – it develops and shares expertise in all aspects of employment related services; and
• Collaborative – it facilitates collaboration between members and with other organisations in the interests of the industry and jobseekers.