Indus Delta Welfare to Work Newswire - 19 December 2011

Parkhouse Bell is a recruitment consultancy that provides a confidential and specialist service across all levels within the welfare to work industry.  For more information visit our website or our dedicated jobs page on Indus Delta.

Happy christmas and new year from the Indus Delta team!

This is the last Indus Delta newswire of 2011, so we would like to take this opportunity to wish all our followers from the welfare to work industry a happy holiday!  See you again in 2012!

Latest news

Is it worthwhile for high performers to stay with your organisation?

It’s time to shift into high gear to reduce the costs of high turnover in the employment-related services sector.

Top performers need great managers and to feel valued and fulfilled in their job. High-quality learning and development help to keep the balance in favour of staying and growing within an organisation.

Advance W2W online courses offer a cost-effective way to provide staff with industry specific training that builds knowledge, skills and motivation. It’s easy, affordable and available right now.  

Read more here.  

Institute of Employability Professionals industry survey

As part of the development of the Institute of Employability Professionals (IEP), ERSA, AELP and Inclusion are working together with Workpays, the project managers, for the set up stage for the Institute.  All welfare to work providers are asked to undertake a short survey about industry numbers by 31 December.  Read more here.

Babington Business College awarded funding for Apprenticeships

Congratulations to Babington Business College who led the industry supported bid to the National Apprenticeship Service for the creation of a new Higher Apprenticeship framework in employment related services.  Read more here.

Plight of the families who rely on food parcels

Trussell Trust, the charity responsible for setting up 163 foodbanks in the UK from 2000, has announced that more and more people in Britain are having to choose between eating and paying the rent.  Read more here.

FSA set out new mortgage rules

Stricter rules proposed by the Financial Services Authoritry on taking out a mortgage are likely to take effect from 2013. Lenders are to better assess loan affordability to prevent arrears and repossession.  Read more here.

Welfare Reform Bill will lead to destitution, committee warns

This week a committee of MPs and peers warned that the Welfare Reform Bill could breach the European Convention on Human Rights by leading to destitution.  Read more here.

UK jobs outlook worst in three years, survey finds

A recent survey undertaken by Manpower has found that only four-in-five employers plan to hire workers in the next three months.  Read more here.

Indus Delta listing of the week

SFA ESF: Partnering with Avanta

As a Work Programme Prime Contractor and a national SFA contract holder (registered as TNG), Avanta has delivered skills, employability and enterprise provision for over 30 years. We have successfully supported over 200,000 customers to gain new skills, start their own business, and move into sustainable employment.

Avanta is keen to ensure that there is alignment between the Work Programme and the SFA ESF programmes that are currently being tendered. This could include working with tendering organisations as a:

• Strategic partner – Avanta recognises the importance of aligning delivery at a regional level, including working together to promote regional growth, creating opportunities for people with low skills levels or those at risk of redundancy. We are keen to work with ESF SFA partners to align our employer engagement activity to the benefit of jobseekers;
• Subcontractor – Avanta is able to bring our expertise in delivering highperforming employment, skills and enterprise services to potential SFA prime contractors. We are interested in exploring subcontracting opportunities in our key delivery regions outlined above;
• Delivery/Referral partner – As an established Work Programme Prime, we would like to invite potential SFA providers to market their services to our eligible customers and employers. We are also able to offer a clear progression route from SFA provision into work-focused support via the Work Programme.

We deliver the Work Programme in the following regions as a Prime Contractor:

• North East
• North West (Greater Manchester, Cheshire and Warrington)
• South East (Kent, Surrey and Sussex)

We deliver in the following regions as a subcontractor:

• Merseyside
• London (East and West)
• Nottingham 

For contact information, read more here.