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V25-758 : NEW DEAL FOR YOUNG AND LONG TERM UNEMPLOYED

The Chairman welcomed Sandra Edghill, the Lowestoft Job Centre Business Manager, and Tina Ellis, the Suffolk District Manager for the Employment Service, who had been invited to the meeting to give an address to the Sub-Committee on the Government's recently announced New Deal initiative.

The New Deal was a facet of the Government's Welfare to Work strategy aimed at helping young people get back to work. Under the initiative people aged 18-24 on job seekers allowance would, upon reaching six months of unemployment, be offered a 'gateway' to the New Deal. This would involve an intensive period of counselling, help and guidance from a personal advisor. Independent careers guidance and specialist help would also be available. The gateway would offer four options;

(a) a job with an employer for six months for which the employer would receive a £60 wage subsidy per week. There would also be £700 towards training towards an accredited qualification;

(b) full time education or training up to one year to study up to and including NVQ level two. This would also be available for basic skills training;

(c) a job with the voluntary sector for six months to benefit the local community, with training towards an accredited qualification;

(d) a place on the Environment Task Force for six months working on tasks which would benefit the local environment, with training towards an accredited qualification.

The personal counsellor would continue to see each person during their option and also check the quality standards of any placement. They would also follow through with an aftercare service to help tackle the 'revolving door' syndrome which had occurred in past schemes.

For people aged 25 or over, on job seekers allowance, and unemployed for over two years the New Deal would offer employers £75 per week for six months to take them on. There would also be the opportunity for full time study up to a year while on benefits.

The New Deal would be delivered through an Employment Service led agency partnership with other organisations . A National Task Force would provide a national framework but there would be an emphasis on flexibility and freedom to deliver at the local level.

A local strategic partnership had been established for both Waveney and Suffolk. The partnership would help with the initial planning of the New Deal by analysis of the local labour market needs, mapping existing help and provision of opportunities, identifying services required in gateway, promoting awareness and gaining employer commitment. In the long term a delivery partnership would be formed.

Local authorities were seen as a key player in this partnership as they could influence other organisations and employers, offer a broad range of help, and also be a potential employer. The Chief Executive had been invited on to partnership as the Council's representative.

An inaugural meeting of the partnership had been held last month. The first task was to compile an intended delivery plan by the end of October. The initiative for people aged 18-24 was to commence by April 1998 , and for 25 years and over by June 1998.

There followed a short question and answer session.

RESOLVED

That the report be received.

Volume 25 Minute 758

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