Cabinet Secretary Visits First Stop Shop

Welsh Government Cabinet Secretary Carl Sargeant has visited the Un Sir Gar Hub in Llanelli and met members of the Communities for Work, Lift and Communities First teams. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Children was shown around the Un Sir Gar Hub, a ‘first stop shop’ for adults of all ages seeking employment, education, training or volunteering in Carmarthenshire. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Mr Sargeant was shown examples of the partnership working between the different organisations working there to support residents. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Cabinet Secretary was introduced to members of the Communities for Work team, a project supported by the European Social Fund through the Welsh Government and Department for Work and Pensions to help people furthest away from the labour market into employment through one to one support, guidance and training. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

He also met the Carmarthenshire Lift team who provide training and employment opportunities for people who live in households where no-one is in work and the Communities First Prosperity Team who provide employment, digital and financial support to residents living in the Carmarthenshire Communities First cluster area. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Mr Sargeant went on to meet local residents who are being supported by the team to achieve their goals. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

In the past 12 months the team has supported over 100 people into work, 250 adults with digital skills and 260 adults have achieved accredited qualifications. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Executive board member for regeneration and leisure Cllr Meryl Gravell said: “I’m pleased that the Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Children has been able to visit Carmarthenshire to see the good work being done in partnership to help people into work or to benefit from education, training or volunteering.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Carl Sargeant said: “I have been very impressed with everything I have seen here today. The Hub is clearly leading the way in terms of successful joint working. It is very pleasing to see so many different organisations working together to help local people into work or training which in turn will help the local economy.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Communities First is a Welsh Government funded initiative to Tackle Poverty focusing on Healthy, Prosperous and Learning Communities, creating opportunities for residents to gain skills, access employment and get healthier. The Communities First programme is focused on the most deprived areas in Carmarthenshire and covers a population of approximately 22,000 residents. The Communities First area covers Ammanford, Bigyn, Felinfoel, Glanymor, Hengoed, Lliedi, Llwynhendy, Trimsaran and Tyisha. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​