Jobs Action Network Progress Report-March 2011

South East Jobs Action Network We were asked by the Valuing People Support Team to develop a jobs network across the South East region.

Where have we visited? Berkshire Brighton and Hove East Sussex Bracknell Forest Milton Keynes Buckinghamshire Hampshire Surrey Slough Isle of Wight Southampton Windsor and Maidenhead Portsmouth Oxfordshire

Campaigning Group We have had 2 Campaigning Group meetings, 1 in London and 1 in Maidenhead People came from: Bracknell Reading Nottingham Windsor and Maidenhead Slough Milton Keynes Portsmouth

Facebook and Twitter We are on Facebook and Twitter Search for us: Jobs Action Network Campaigning Group

Barriers that people are facing! There is not enough funding for Job Coaches Need to see more examples of people on Personal/Individual budgets Councils are having budget cuts, and the changes that are happening at day centres are becoming hard to manage Lots of people are losing their jobs

It is quite hard to get regional large organisations like supermarkets on the books, to support people to get paid work In some areas, there is no supported employment for people to get work, unless they are classed as having a real need, this is called: ‘substantial’ or ‘critical’ Travelling is an issue for people with high support needs Disability Employment Advisors working at the Job Centre Plus need to have more training and understanding to support people with a learning difficulty

Transition work - there is no funding available to support people with what they want to do and support them to move on The new benefits system is a worry to people. People are unsure what will happen to them There is short term funding for projects. People want to have more long term funding when they have shown the projects work

What Next? If we get more funding to carry on with the Jobs Action Network we will be: Carry on supporting campaigning groups across the South East. These will be held in different venues in the South East every 3 months

Develop sharing good news stories and what is working well in different areas so that people can learn from, and develop similar approaches Encourage people to use the Facebook page more, link in with local websites and make sure people are webconnecting

Attend different events across the region to promote what we are doing, including employment events and Regional Forums Offer training for organisations including Job Centre Plus around Disability awareness

Thanks for listening Do you have any other questions?