People facing barriers to employment will benefit from more than £9.5 million to help them get the skills they need to secure well-paid work.
Following her re-election as Mayor of the West Yorkshire city, Tracey Brabin announced a £10 million package to “make life easier for those who find life difficult”.
This funding will help those who are struggling to secure good jobs due to their age, health condition, disability or difficult personal circumstances.
This follows a high-profile election pledge to build a “learning and creativity zone” for all, where everyone in the region is motivated to pursue their passions in life, and rise to their full potential.
Six new projects are set to benefit single parents, people with low digital skills, people who have faced discrimination because of their ethnicity, and people with criminal convictions.
Tracey Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, said: “There are too many people at a disadvantage when it comes to finding and keeping work, so I am delighted to be launching these new initiatives as part of our focus on a region of the world.” to learn.
“I want everyone in West Yorkshire to have the skills and opportunities they need to succeed, regardless of their personal circumstances.
“Providing people with tailored support to break down the barriers they face will help us grow our economy and build a stronger, brighter West Yorkshire that works for everyone.”
Partly funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, the six new initiatives aim to reduce inequality, raise living standards and grow the economy, while boosting confidence, skills and knowledge across West Yorkshire communities.
The projects are:
- An innovative pilot project between Bradford Council, local community and outpatient health services, will support stroke patients receiving additional rehabilitation to people with long-term coronavirus to help them return to work, while the companies they work for will receive tailored support to accommodate their return to work. Better. Workplace.
- Stepping Stones, an initiative that will provide free access to much-loved “community shops” in Leeds, Bradford and Wakefield. Once there, people will be able to purchase food and groceries at discounted prices, as well as receive grants to pay for expenses such as travel and childcare, while implementing a supportive program designed to help them return to work on a humanitarian basis.
- Grant funding will be available to voluntary and community organisations, to leverage their extensive local knowledge and relationships with vulnerable people, to ensure support reaches those who need it most.
- Two projects are now being launched by the Education Development Fund: Future Forward, designed to support young people aged 16-24 in employment or further education, and the Work and Health Programme, which aims to break down health barriers to employment.
- A Kirklees Council project will help people facing health-related barriers to employment, with specialist training that will be provided to frontline staff.
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