Employment Support Programmes

VCS Assist 2013 – 2015 – part funded by ESF: provided support to London’s Voluntary Sector (VCS) organisations, to adapt and sustain themselves. It offered up to 3 days 1-1 free tailored organisational development support to over 60 organisations across London and a programme of workshops/seminars.

Start Well 2008 – 2010 – LDA:Project was designed to address the rehabilitation needs of clients experiencing drug and alcohol related problems. It offered structured treatment and aftercare services and training and employment support to enable them to integrate into their communities.

PRIME 2005 – 2007 – LSC: enabled refugees with overseas qualifications in teaching, construction and health care to re-train. It offered conversion and accredited APEL (Accreditation of Prior Experience & Learning) courses.

Looking Ahead 2005 – 2007 – LSC (£194,619): was a partnership of 12 pan London voluntary organisations providing induction programmes specifically tailored to asylum seekers’ needs. These included: Housing, welfare and health advice; Education and training information.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL 2000 – 2002 -Direct bidding to GO: aimed to provide integrated, accessible training in Information Technology tailored to people’s needs in a supportive environment. It targeted disadvantaged people in the labour market such as people with disabilities, ethnic minorities, homeless, refugees, lone parents, alcoholics, ex-offenders and women, thus enhancing their employability.

COMMUNITY ACCESS PARTNERSHIP PROJECT 2000 – 2002 – CAP: aimed to improve employment opportunities of members of the Camden and Islington ethnic minority communities through promoting access to vocational training and education programmes and information, advice and guidance provision.

All of the above projects targeted disadvantaged people in the labour market such as people with disabilities, ethinic minorities, homeless, refugees, lone parents, substance misusers, ex-offenders and women. 

Steps to Work 2011 – 2013 – JCP Flexible Support Fund: provided vocational skills support to local people on JSA benefits. Participants obtained their CSCS card, which helped them to secure work in the construction industry, whilst others obtained an SIA license in door supervision and CCTV to support them finding work in the security sector. There were also those who obtained customer care and food safety accreditation and found work in those areas. To date more than 150 participants have found employment, with more than 120 sustained in jobs for more than 3 months. We are still awaiting the final outcomes for this project.

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

PRACTAS 2005 – 2008 – JCP ESF (£969,088): provided conversion training, support and work placements to refugees and asylum seekers with work permits who had skills and qualifications in health, education engineering, construction and other specialist sectors.

PLACE – Placement leading to achievable employment 2005 – 2007  – JCP/ ESF (£731,837) aimed at providing work placement packages for highly qualified refugees and people from BME communities in NHS, retail, the manufacturing sectors and creative industries.

RAISE – Refugee Advice, information & Support into Employment 2003 – 2005  -JCP: provided specialist employment services and tailored training including job search and APEL (Accreditation of Prior Learning) courses.

FROM B TO B – From Benefits to Business 2003 – 2004 – JCP/ESF: provided support to long-term unemployed people through an integrated business programme, coaching them from idea to start-up stage. The project targeted especially refugees’ communities through specialist organisations.