1. Pan-London employment projects Helping long-term unemployed people back to work
Yolande Burgess
Strategy Director: Young People’s Education & Skills, Grants & Community Services

2. Access to Employment
Tackling poverty through employment, contributing to reducing child poverty in London by raising family income and skills
Improving the employability and skills of long-term unemployed and economically inactive residents so they can compete effectively in the labour market
Improving access to employment for individuals who are far from the labour market and need assistance to overcome barriers
Providing tailored support to improve job readiness and sustainability in employment

3. Borough and European Funding
Half funded by boroughs’ contributions to the Grants Programme - £3 million
Matched by £3 million from London Councils European Social Fund (ESF) Programme under an agreement with the Greater London Authority (GLA)
Programme will run to June 2019
Programme to support 4,000 people and help 1, into work or closer to the labour market

4. Poverty Programme Delivery
Provision of integrated employment and pastoral support
Provision of employment related and personal development support interventions/pathways
Network of sub-partners delivering locally

5. Citizens Trust - Brent, Ealing, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Richmond-upon-Thames
London Training and Employment Network - Croydon, Kingston- upon-Thames, Lambeth, Merton, Sutton, Wandsworth
MI ComputSolutions - Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich, Lewisham, Southwark
Paddington Development Trust - Barnet, Hammersmith & Fulham, Haringey, Harrow, Kensington & Chelsea, Westminster
Redbridge Council for Voluntary Service - Enfield, City of London, Hackney, Islington, Tower Hamlets, Camden
Redbridge Council for Voluntary Service - Barking & Dagenham, Havering, Newham, Redbridge, Waltham Forest

6. Eligibility Long-term unemployed: Economically inactive:
Unemployed: available for and actively seeking work
Long-term: a) under 25, unemployed continuously for 6+ months b) over 25, unemployed continuously for 12+ months
Economically inactive:
Not in employment, has not been seeking work within the last 4 weeks and/or unable to start work within the next 2 weeks
Multiple/complex barriers
Complex barriers to work
Not able to evidence long-term unemployed

7. Targeting vulnerable Londoners
Homeless
Ex-offenders recently returning to the community
Suffering/recovering from substance misuse or gambling addiction
Suffering from mental ill-health (diagnosed and undiagnosed)
Victims of domestic violence

8. Targeting vulnerable Londoners
Living in persistent debt (mobile phone debt, fuel debt, rent debt/risk of eviction)
Suffering employment discrimination due to disability/learning disability
Care leavers
Managing life-long/long-term health conditions that impact work/stable work

9. Poverty Programme Delivery
Programmes help participants gain personal and occupational skills by providing:
One to one support from an adviser structured around a personalised individual needs assessment and action plan
Employability and skills assessments
Vocational/employment specific training
Pre-employment training; work experience
Health workshops; personal skills development
Employer engagement and mentoring

10. Participants Supported
57 per cent inactive or unemployed for more than three years
35 per cent without basic skills
66 per cent ethnic minorities
53 per cent from a jobless household
21 per cent single adult household with dependent children
18 per cent declared a disability; 20 percent declared a health condition that limits work; 14 per cent declared a mental health condition

11. Some Challenges
ESF rules and regulations
Difficulties with proving eligibility (employment status)
Wider context – migration to Universal Credit; pressure on statutory services; austerity; increased cost of living, particularly accommodation; introduction of other ‘competing’ programmes

12. And the Good
Collaborative and partnership approach to delivery, both locally and centrally
Sharing of good practice across partners
Continuous improvement in response to meeting partner, programme and delivery needs
Links with Homelessness and Tackling Sexual and Domestic Violence priorities

13. London Councils Grants & ESF Programmes
Combatting Homelessness
Tackling Sexual and Domestic Violence
Tackling Poverty through Employment