4gr are currently implementing Stickdorn’s (2011) 5 principles of service design thinking. Service design thinking places the user of our services at the centre of everything we do. The principles remind us that service should be seen as holistic, which means not just the services offered to clients but how each separate part of the business – from the processes and systems that are implemented, through to governance and strategic planning.
The second principle is co-creative and we are excited to be placing our stakeholders, including our highly valued participants, “front and centre” in the co-design of our services. 4gr are committed to working in partnership with our stakeholders, reviewing our services and gathering feedback to ensure we are delivering accessible relevant services.
Our first focus groups and semi structured interviews with our participants have taken place and we are excited to start working with more of our stakeholder groups in order to further develop and improve our services. We are keen to make sure our services meet our stakeholders expectations and equip job seekers to find and retain employment.
We will keep the updates coming as we work through these steps, we can’t wait to share this design journey with you all.
Stickdorn, M. (2011). 5 Principles of Service Design Thinking. In M. Stickdorn, & J. Schneider, This is service design thinking: basics, tools, cases (pp. 33-45). Wiley.
Service Design Updates
December 2023
Our first round of service design and co-design focus groups and interviews has been completed. Our 4gr service design team worked through three groups of Stakeholders, Participants, Employers and Parents over the last two years.
At each phase of the journey we gathered information through focus groups and semi-structured interviews taking care to listen to feedback, take on board the ideas and continue refining and improving our services.
We are delighted to share, that entirely due to this process we have implemented the following improvements to our service:
- More in-depth information for participants like the Fairwork.gov.au website
- Expanded work simualtion sesions
- More detailed information for prospective employers
- Newly developed “Hello to 4gr” brochure, that has been developed for new stakeholders
February 2024
Following the success of the first round of service design we have set out to commence the next iteration.
Our newly formed internal team has members from all areas of our business and we have identified new areas to delve into a little deeper and gather valuable feedback on.
Our newly identified areas to focus on are:
- Engaging with parents to support them on their child’s employment journey
- Social media and the role it plays
- Engaging with schools, and how that can be more meaningful
March 2025
Enhancing Our Employment Programs: Key Takeaways from Service Design Sessions
At 4gr, we are committed to continuous improvement through participant feedback. In September 2024, we conducted Service Design sessions to review our Work Simulation and Discover Employment programs. Participants shared valuable insights, leading to key refinements in our approach.
Key Insights from Participants
Participants identified several areas for improvement:
- Filler Content: Certain sessions felt unnecessary.
- Practical Skill Development: More focus was needed on job retention skills.
- Job Search Support: More time dedicated to writing resumes, cover letters, and job searching.
- Hypothetical Scenarios: Seen as less effective than real-world applications.
- Technology Integration: Increased use of digital tools requested.
- Regular Check-Ins: More structured feedback to ensure sessions were valuable.
Implementation Timeline
October 2024
- Rachael and Hayley reviewed the curriculum and identified necessary changes.
- Hayley began developing new curriculum aligned with the Blueprint for Career Development.
November 2024
- Drafted a 2025 curriculum covering Workplace Communication, Conflict Resolution, OHS, Volunteering, Resume & Cover Letter Building, and Financial Literacy.
- Ensured alignment with career development competencies.
December 2024
- Planned integration of Work Integrated Learning (WIL) alongside Work Simulation.
- Lorraine began forming workplace partnerships for WILs.
- Exploration of workplace tasters and guest speakers.
January 2025
- Finalized content for Quarter 1.
- Work Simulation team trained on new program structure.
- January 13: New curriculum rollout begins.
- January 29: All Work Simulation participants commence a WIL.
February 2025
- Training for Employment Coaches and WILO staff to support participants with complex needs.
- Ongoing professional development for Work Simulation team.
March 2025
- First WIL cycle concludes.
- Positive participant feedback gathered on updated curriculum and program structure.
Looking Forward
These updates ensure that 4gr’s employment programs remain relevant, practical, and effective. By actively listening to participants and implementing meaningful changes, we continue to create better pathways for employment success.
Stay tuned for further updates as we refine and improve our services in 2025!
