A project to help people in Newcastle, North Tyneside and Northumberland find work has secured £7.2m funding.
The series of eight schemes making up a wider effort have secured the £6.4m backing of the North of Tyne Combined Authority while a further 16 projects are already under way, having received £750,000 from the authority. Together, they're part of an effort to deliver one-to-one support for women, people aged 50-64, young people, those from ethnic minority communities, people with caring responsibilities and others who may face challenges finding work or staying employed because of a disability, neurodiverse need or a health condition.
Recipients of the support will receive guidance in applying for jobs, financial advice, digital support and help with personal and skills development. The 16 existing projects are using sports-based initiatives to promote teamwork, resilience, innovation and problem-solving skills.
Read more: 4,000-job North East Investment Zone to go live next month
Read more: £660m Northern Powerhouse fund launched to help grow business in the North
Among the eight funded projects is Build your Own Opportunities to Succeed and Thrive (BOOST) - a scheme for social housing tenants. It will be delivered by some of the region’s largest housing providers and targeting socially excluded and unemployed residents and helping them develop skills in order to progress on to employment.
Another scheme is Open Doors: Beyond Barriers, led by Newcastle College with Children North East, Education Partnerships North East (EPNE), Groundwork North East & Cumbria, Newcastle United Foundation, The Prince’s Trust, The Key and Winnovation. It will aim to build confidence and motivation to work by helping people build basic skills.
The other funded schemes include Empower Works, led by North East Autism Society; New Start, led by Karbon Homes; Northern Directions, delivered by Groundwork North East and Cumbria; Talent Pools and Pathways, led by Newcastle City Council; Working for Carers, led by North Tyneside Carers Centre, and Works 4 U, led by Back to Work Complete Training.
Most Read
North of Tyne Mayor Jamie Driscoll said: "If everyone had a secure, well-paid job, it would transform our region. Where people have decent jobs, health outcomes improve and crime rates fall. We've already created 5,377 good jobs and helped over 10,000 people to get ‘work-ready’. This funding aims to help a further 3,600 people into work.
“When it comes to solving unemployment there isn’t a ‘one size fits all’ solution. In the real-world, there are lots of reasons why people aren't in work. We've funded 24 projects which will offer tailored support to people from all walks of life. Helping them to get the skills they need to earn a decent wage and live a better life."
Coun Karen Kilgour, cabinet member for education, inclusion and skills on the mayoral authority, said: "When we set up North of Tyne Combined Authority, we set out to help people get good jobs. This funding will really help our residents to not only take that first step into or back to the workplace, but also give them the confidence and the skills they need to succeed."