Fielding salutes funding boost for new unemployed

An innovative programme designed to help newly-unemployed people in Greater Manchester find work has received a £13m funding boost from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

WHP JETS was approved by Greater Manchester leaders during a special Combined Authority on Wednesday, September 2.

The programme offers early support to those who have recently become unemployed and will assist approximately 13,200 people in the city-region.

Those taking part in the programme are given help with essential skills for securing long-term employment such as CV writing, job searches and interviewing.

It forms part of the Working Well Programme already underway in the city-region, which provides long-term unemployed people with well-being support and help with finding employment.

Oldham Council leader Sean Fielding, also the Portfolio Lead for Digital, Education, Skills, Work and Apprenticeships, said: “It’s great that the Government has recognised the achievements of our already successful Working Well programme and now with this funding the scheme can expand to help recently unemployed people in the city-region.

“The coronavirus pandemic has had a detrimental impact on our local economy and it is vital those effected are given support to find employment again as soon as possible.

“The programme is expected to help people secure employment after taking part in the scheme for six months, which will also aid the city-regions recovery following the Covid-19 pandemic.”

The JETS scheme is due to launch in early October and will run until March, 2022.

It is available to help people who have been unemployed and in receipt of benefits for at least 13 weeks find sustained work.

The support offered includes analysis of an individual’s transferable skills, CV writing, help with job searches and interview skills.

Participants will also be given help with confidence building, and self-efficacy through a sector-based approach.

Providers taking part in the programme will be required to have strong links to national and local employers, while also linking with local services to enable referrals to Adult Education as well as the Health and Social Care Partnership Mental Health offer.

Working Well is a family of services that embody Greater Manchester’s devolved employment and health offer, which have been commissioned to support people experiencing or at risk of long-term employment in the city-region.

Since its inception in 2014, Working Well programmes have achieved employment outcomes for over 6,500 Greater Manchester residents.

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