There are stark inequalities across Tees Valley for long-term unemployed people and those facing multiple and complex barriers when accessing work.
This includes:
• Intergenerational cycles of under achievement
• High levels of unemployment and under employment compared to national averages
• Some of the highest unemployment rates in the country for 16-24 year olds
Removing barriers to work through targeted and multi-agency programmes will be a high priority to ensure we enable local people better access to existing jobs and those that will be created in the future.
Our approach will:
• Develop community-led solutions to engage those most distant from the labour market, with an ultimate goal of accessing work related activities
• Identify existing barriers and identify solutions for individuals, focused on targeted geographies and groups.
Whilst there is a plethora of good initiatives in Tees Valley, there is more we can do through joint working to better align support that achieves better and faster employment outcomes. There is also a need to develop a shared, robust evidence base that identifies what works and really makes a difference to the individual and which could contribute to long-term sustainable economic change.
We will:
• Increase the support for long-term unemployed residents especially those most distant from the labour market
• Prevent young people becoming long-term unemployed
• Implement the Routes to Work pilot
• Develop 16-18 work experience pilot
• Implement 16 -18 holistic support
• Develop and implement a new 18-24 support programme
This initial programme will run up to 2021 with both TVCA investment and use of the European Social Fund.
If you have any questions about this project please contact us
