New Programme Primed to Help 5,000 People Break Down Barriers to Securing Work And Keeping Jobs

Fresh efforts to help more than 5,000 people facing challenges getting into work are primed for launch through a new personalised one-to-one support programme.

Tees Valley Connect to Work is all set to be delivered with local employers, health professionals and community services, and will support people with disabilities, long-term health conditions, or other barriers into meaningful, sustainable jobs.

It will also support those at risk of falling out of their current jobs to stay in work.

The Tees Valley Mayor and Cabinet Members approved a £17.6million programme delivery plan to go to the Department for Work and Pensions at the latest TVCA Cabinet meeting.

The programme, led by Hartlepool Borough Council in partnership with our region’s local authorities, is primed to offer a tailored package of help to match people’s job goals and needs.

These include dedicated Employment Specialists working one-to-one with people, and a personalised plan built around a person’s unique circumstances.

It will also provide help with CVs, applications, training, qualifications, and interviews, as well as tools to build confidence and communication skills.

And it will offer direct engagement with local employers and job matching, advice on benefits and how to be better off in work, and ongoing coaching and workplace support once people start a job.

Tees Valley Mayor Houchen said: “This is about making sure more people across Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool have the chance to find and keep a good job, no matter the challenges they face.

“This is about ensuring peoples’ ambitions and their strengths are taken into account – and they get the support they need to succeed.

“By working hand-in-hand with lifeline local employers – who know their own industries – and health professionals, we’ll break down these barriers and as many local people as possible can get into work, stay in jobs and build livelihoods.”

The programme has a target of helping more than 5,000 people up to 2030.

For those already in work but finding it difficult to cope due to health conditions or disabilities, Connect to Work is set to provide rapid support, tailored workplace advice, and conversations with employers to arrange adjustments.

It’s set to focus on understanding the strengths and aspirations of people with a step-by-step approach including initial introductions, building a support plan, preparing for interviews, engaging with employers, and ongoing support to help people settle into and, crucially, stay in work.

Cllr Lisa Evans, Leader of Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council and portfolio lead for Education, Employment and Skills, said: “We know there are some really big barriers that can stop people from getting into work and, for many, staying in a job can be just as challenging.

“That’s why it’s so important we come together on this so we can help unlock people’s strengths.

“By working in partnership, we can make sure the support truly works for an individual, whether that’s helping someone take their first steps into secure employment or ensuring they have what they need to stay in their role.

“This programme is about giving people across Tees Valley the right help at the right time and making sure no one is left behind.”

Connect to Work will be available to people aged 18 and over in England and Wales who are disabled, living with health conditions, or face complex barriers to employment.

Connect to Work is funded by the UK Government.

Funded by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), it is one of a series of measures which aims to support people back into work.