Developing Skills and Qualifications

Job Centre Plus 2016 – 2017 – Flexible Support Fund: provided support to over 50 lone parents and long term unemployed participants in the Islington and Camden London boroughs. It offered a wide range of flexible support with at least 50% of participants going into work.

Leap into Work 2013 – 2015 – London Councils/ESF funded:  provided support to over 353 women facing barriers into employment. It offered diagnostics assessments, vocational skills training, placements, volunteering opportunities, jobs and further support for sustained employment. To date 110 beneficiaries went into placements and volunteering, 139 beneficiaries found employment with 78 sustained in work for 6 months and more than 94 went into further education and training.

Upskills for Work 2009 –  2011 – LDA (£900,000): An employer-led employability  skills programme, targeting BAMES  to gain relevant skills to compete for jobs in key growth sectors, such as health & social care, security and pharmacy assistants.

The project was successful in enrolling 568 people, 185 achieved relevant qualifications, over 300 found jobs and 275 people obtained sustained employment.

North Central Support 2009 – 2011 – LDA  (£300,000): Provided support to 500 BAME learners with language, literacy, numeracy and skills to move into education or work. Beneficiaries were engaged through a range of community based and informal learning venues across the four target boroughs of Islington, Camden, Westminster and Kensington & Chelsea. LTEN was the lead working with 7 parners.

The project successfully supported 479 beneficiaries. 392 gained literacy, numeracy and entry level qualifications, 250 progressed into further learning or work and 213 sustained.

Childcare for Work 2007 – 2008 – London Councils (£174,480):  Provided training opportunities for lone parents wishing to gain a L2/3 qualification in childcare and access to work placements. The project offered English language and basic skills support, Employability skills training and help with childcare and travel expenses whilst training.

The project targetted 90 starts, but achieved 97 starts, 78 L2/3 qualifications and 21 ot of 35 jobs.  

Steps to Training & Employment 2006 – 2008 – London Councils (£161,932): Giving quality IAG to break the cycle of benefits dependency and aimed at increasing the participation of unemployed people in Islington going into further education, training, employment and self-employment.  

Targetted 300 starts and achieved 317 starts, 94 into FE and 63 jobs.

Refugees into Paid Placement 2006 – 2008 – LDA (£200,000): developed subsidised work placements inn the engineering, construction, business and administration, health and social care sectors to improve the employability of refugees in London. 

Skills4Work 2006 – 2008 – LDA (£900,000):  offered L1/2/3 customised training in construction, health and social care, the creatives, production and service industries. The programme oftered  specialised training and employment support to integrate unemployed and economically inactive  BAMES,single parents, disabled and older returners.  

The project targetted 800 starts, but achieved 825 starts, 206 L1/2/3 qualifications and 249 sustained jobs.  

Step up to Childcare 2005 – 2007 – JCP (£358,410): delivered courses in childcare leading to qualifications such as Introduction to Childcare, CACHE2. It was aimed at BME beneficiaries returning to the labour market i.e. long-term unemployed with low qualifications but transferable life skills. 

ATIA 2005 – 2007 Work based learning – LSC & GATEWAY INTO IT LDA (£200,000): delivered the new flexible IT user qualification and training package (iTQ) in the workplace and accredited assessor’s training to meet micro organisation and small/medium enterprises’ needs.

Neighbourhood Approach to Learning (NAL) – 2004 – LSC: aimed at increasing Islington’s capacity to deliver a range of adult learning at a neighbourhood level through its ‘on-line’ centres. It offered ICT, basic and job search skills.

Developing Skills for Working in Education, Training & Creative Industries – SDF/LDA and part funded by ESF, the Finsbury Park Partnership (SRB), the European Refugee Fund and the ALG, 2002 – 2003:  

It was a pilot initiative that offered a range of support including industry-led training and support in the field of fashion and clothing to refugees and other minority communities in Hackney, Islington and neighbouring boroughs

RESTORE 2000 – 2002 – GOL ESF:  offered an integrated package of advice and guidance and employment support measures, which targeted training programmes for Refugees and Asylum Seekers to enable them to break down barriers in accessing suitable employment.-