Tackling Worklessness in East Staffordshire

1
Tackling Worklessness in East Staffordshire

• Dean Piper
• Economic Regeneration Manager
• 15th July 2008

2
Structure of presentation

• East Staffordshire context
• The main issues and challenges
• The proposed approach to tackling worklessness
• Progress to date
• Next steps

3
Introduction

• LAA focus is to reduce the levels of worklessness
  in most disadvantaged neighbourhoods of
  Staffordshire
• Plan is to target a reduction in unemployed
  people claiming JSA, Lone parents and Incapacity
  benefits
• Focus is on securing sustainable forms of
  employment for hard to reach clients
• Support the outcome of achieving a vibrant,
  prosperous and sustainable economy

4
East Staffs context

• Economic re-structuring and growth
• Decline in traditional industries such as brewing
  and engineering
• Growth of service sectors such as logistics and
  business/professional services
• Generally high levels of employment and economic
  activity
• More change is expected Growth Point status and
  further changes to employment base

5
District profile
6
Claimant count - Ward breakdown
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NEET Hotspots

• Highest concentration of NEET groupings in 4
  wards
• Stapenhill 29 (10)
• Shobnall 23 (9)
• Eton Park 25 (11.7)
• Burton 24 (19.9)
• Source Connexions NEET Winter Ave 2007/8

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Challenges/issues

• Ageing (but growing) population
• Over 50 of claimants live in 5 wards
• These wards are co-terminus with NEET hot spots
• Many claimants are long term
• Ensuring that housing/jobs growth benefits
  communities of most need

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Worklessness Action Group

• Formation of a Worklessness action group
  involving key local partners
• Membership currently consists of ESBC, LSC, Job
  Centre Plus, Connexions, Heart of Burton
  partnership
• Agreed a Terms of Reference
• Main objectives
• Improve understanding of worklessness issues
• Develop/implement neighbourhood specific actions
  to tackle worklessness
• Join up service provision in these wards
• Early days but the seeds of better joint working
  are being sown!

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Strategic approach

• Focus on the wards with high levels of
  deprivation and economic disadvantage
• Work has commenced on gathering intelligence
  required to develop Worklessness Action Plans for
  targeted wards
• Mapping of existing services
• Identify gaps in service provision
• Identify key local employers and understand their
  future workforce plans
• Identify emerging employment/inward investment
  opportunities that could benefit targeted wards

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Ward focus

• 1st phase
• Anglesey
• Stapenhill
• Shobnall
• 2nd Phase
• Winshill
• Burton
• 3rd Phase
• Eton Park
• Horninglow

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Mapping

• Focused initially on Anglesey, Shobnall and
  Stapenhill wards
• Identification of specific worklessness issues in
  these wards
• Map existing services/facilities/physical
  infrastructure i.e.
• Health
• Community centres
• Children's centres
• Schools/training facilities
• Sport facilities
• Mainstream services from JCP, LSC etc plus any
  additional services i.e. outreach workers
• Key community /voluntary groups
• Key employers/future employment opportunities

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Action Planning

• Identify service gaps against stage of workless
  journey for each ward
• Develop targeted action plans to incorporate
• Added value services/initiatives
• Essential physical infrastructure
• Employer engagement
• Better joint working between existing agencies
• Improve awareness of what is available
• Develop some quick win projects
• Early results from mapping work suggests that
  there may be a need for more pre-employment
  support

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Employment opportunities

• Early warning of new employment opportunities
  from local authority and InStaffs
• Sharing of information/contacts with relevant
  agencies
• Ensure that companies can access the mainstream
  support available to them
• Encourage them to make a positive contribution to
  reducing worklessness in the Borough

15
Future areas of work

• Engage more fully with other key partners i.e.
  College, PCT
• Establishment of Jobs, Enterprise and Training
  (JET) Centre in Burton
• Complete Action plans for 1st tranche of wards
• Commence mapping work for other targeted wards
• Encourage public sector organisations (including
  Council) to assess its role in reducing
  worklessness in targeted wards
• Increased dialogue with key local employers