Local Employment Fund Set To Benefit Caerphilly Households

Deprived areas within Caerphilly county borough are set to benefit from £50,000 of funding thanks to the Welsh Housing Quality Standard (WHQS) Local Employment Fund. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The WHQS Local Employment Fund formed part of the commitments made to tenants prior to the ballot to transfer the housing stock in 2012. During the ballot, tenants voted overwhelmingly to keep their homes under the ownership and management of Caerphilly County Borough Council. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The funding will provide fantastic benefits to particular areas within Caerphilly including St James 3 and Twyn Carno and will be used to support the delivery of the Welsh Government funded LIFT programme. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The LIFT programme has been specifically designed to support workless households, many of which reside within the council’s housing areas. Since 1st April 2015, 156 adults of working age who reside in the Caerphilly Basin and Upper Rhymney Valley (97 of which were council tenants) have been identified and engaged in the programme, aimed at supporting households in the Upper Rhymney Valley and Caerphilly Basin. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Opportunities provided through the LIFT programme for tenants include: – ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

• Training courses linked specifically to a participants employability
• Work experience or placements to enhance the participants employability
• Actual employment and volunteering which leads to a recognised qualification appropriate for work

The Welsh Government’s LIFT programme is committed to tackling poverty in Wales’ most deprived areas. The programme aims to target 5,000 households across Wales through the provision of bespoke support and mentoring. Every adult aged 16-64 within an eligible household (where all working age adults are unemployed) will be provided with the individual support to move towards obtaining employment through participating in training, overcoming barriers and undertaking work experience opportunities. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Prior to 2015/16, the £50,000 Local Employment Fund has been used for a number of projects including the partial refurbishment of Hafod Deg Resource Centre in Rhymney and the employment of a Passport Support Officer to support young people participating in the council’s Passport Programme. However, it was agreed to transfer the entire £50,000 fund support the delivery of the LIFT programme. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr David Poole, Cabinet Member for Housing said: “I am delighted that the WHQS Local Employment Fund is being used to facilitate valuable training, experience and advice to households who are currently unemployed. The skills and experience that can be gained as a result can help to provide a step up into employment for many residents within the county borough. I look forward to seeing the fantastic results that this funding brings in the future”. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​