Aim
The aim of the DP was to develop a consistent approach to employability work at a sub-regional rather than local level, reflecting travel patterns and labour market opportunities and to tackle persistent, high long-term unemployment amongst groups who had not been reached by previous employability initiatives.
The DP fixed on four key themes:
- Unemployment (primary focus)
- Discrimination and inequalities
- Disabilities
- Support to entrepreneurship.
Background
The DP was brought together under the broad umbrella of the TyneWear Partnership, and comprised representatives of all the main public authorities in the sub-region as well as representatives of local arms of national agencies, and of the voluntary sector. Behind the core partnership was a large associate partnership of voluntary, community and labour market organisations to which the DP reported from time to time. The project commenced in November 2001 and ended in June 2005.
The DP’s work was planned on the basis of a substantial piece of research completed during Action 1. From this the key hardest-to-reach target groups were identified, and their needs articulated in ways that supported a consultation exercise from which a work programme was developed. The potential challenges of working with many from these groups were underlined in the initial analysis of the Tyne and Wear Household Survey 2002, and published by the Tyne and Wear Learning + Skills Council in October 2002.
Target Beneficiary Groups
Six groups of potential beneficiaries were selected, each defined on the basis of previous experience and research as ‘hard to reach’: These were:
- Refugees,
- Ethnic minorities,
- People with disabilities,
- Returners to the labour market, especially those with care responsibilities,
- Older workers,
- and ex-offenders.
Main Outcomes
The projects exceeded the targeted beneficiary numbers for the DP by nearly three times (1706 worked with as against a target of 666). Of these 454 went on to work (368 full-time, 70 part-time and 16 self-employed), and 407 into further training or education. 48 of the 109 beneficiaries who completed the Job Linkage course (25 did not) moved directly into full-time or part-time employment. Two became self-employed, and three went into further education or training.
Over 60% of the participants on the Refugee Intermediate Labour Market Project (ILM) obtained full time work by the end of the project with 75% now known to have gone into employment. The project was successful in securing continuation funding. One of the participants won an Individual Learners Award from NIACE.
The Rookie Project had 6 beneficiaries. It was oversubscribed, and there was 100% attendance throughout.
Prime Employability had 13 beneficiaries; nine have gone on to business start-ups, supported by additional training guidance and advice from specialist enterprise support agencies.
TWESP delivered training to more than 870 men and women, nearly all of whom had previously been unemployed. Just over half the beneficiaries (462) completed their courses, some left for jobs before the end, and others dropped out. 241 left for employment or self-employment, 26 for voluntary work and 193 for further education, training or other government programmes. The project piloted and has incorporated the toolkit.
Fifteen of the beneficiaries on the Renew were recruited from most-deprived wards, others were ex-offenders, octions project to build confidence and esteem, gain new skills and update existing ones.
