Programme To Support People Into Employment Extended

Communities Secretary Carl Sargeant has today announced £29,408,232 of Welsh Government and EU funding to extend the Communities for Work Programme in Wales until 2020. This brings the total investment in Communities for Work to £70,575,875. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Launched in May 2015 and delivered in partnership with the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) through Job Centre Plus, Communities for Work is a community based advisory service, supported by the European Social Fund (ESF). It works with people in the most deprived communities across Wales to increase the employability of 16-24 year olds who are not in education, employment or training (NEET), and economically inactive and long-term unemployed adults who have complex barriers to employment. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The programme has so far helped almost 900 people into work, nearly 1,300 people into further training and another 100 into volunteering roles. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Cabinet Secretary said: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Creating economic prosperity is one of my priorities and is at the heart of my vision for a new approach to building resilient communities that have access to jobs and people with the right skills and support to fill them. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Sustainable employment is still the best route out of poverty. Communities for Work supports the most deprived communities in Wales and provides a real opportunity to help people achieve their aspirations. This funding will build on the success the programme has delivered already and ensure we are making best use of EU funds to help tackle poverty. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“This investment signals a major commitment to the Communities for Work programme.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​