Right to bid yields £1.2m to LEAP

Submitted by Paul Convery on Fri, 05/03/2010 - 10:10pm

One of the country’s most original and inspirational training and employment organisations has secured almost £1.2 million through DWP’s Right to Bid funding channel.

Local Employment Access Projects (known universally as “LEAP”) has secured the money to deliver a 24 month programme of “attitudinal and behaviourally focused training” for unemployed inner-city residents. It will mainly focus on those BME and other communities who are achieving employment outcomes less than equal to those of white unemployed job seekers.

LEAP is based in Kensal Green in the London Borough of Brent. It was started in July 1993 as an initiative to help people from, what was known as, the Harlesden City Challenge area to find employment. LEAP’s programmes are based on the highly successful STRIVE model which was pioneered in East Harlem, New York City in 1994 and which has now expanded into an international network of employability programmes. The STRIVE model has been specifically designed and tailored to the needs of BME groups who face multiple barriers to the labour market through culturally sensitive training. LEAP pioneered and long-term (2 years) post-placement follow-up support. The STRIVE-based service mix includes needs assessment; employability skills training; one-to-one support; job placement; therapeutic counselling and other support services aimed at raising self-esteem and motivation. LEAP's founding philosphy is "we are here to help you, but we will not do it for you."

A major evaluation of LEAP’s effectiveness delivering the STRIVE approach in London was undertaken in 2002 by Dan Finn and Kamila Zhano who memorably entitled the report “From Harlem to Harlesden” (a synopsis was published in Working Brief Issue 140, Jan 2003 pp.14-19).

More information about LEAP is at www.leap.org.uk and the DWP annopuncement is at http://www.dwp.gov.uk/supplying-dwp/what...

Comments

Submitted by Baldor on Mon, 08/03/2010 - 9:51am.

Congratulations to LEAP. I am a bit curious though because to quote the RTB Guidelines " we have
introduced a funding limit of £500,000 per bid to encourage bidders to focus on proposals which deliver smaller scale pilots."

As usual DWP move the goal posts as and when it suits them!

Submitted by bigbaldbloke on Mon, 08/03/2010 - 10:23am.

It could be multiple awards, perhaps one per inner city to test the outcomes against different demographics?

Submitted by Paul Convery on Mon, 08/03/2010 - 4:13pm.

I understand that the £500,000 ceiling is an annual limit and not a cap per bid. Or at least that's how it has been interpreted in this case. If so, DWP has bent the rule a little bit further to give LEAP almost £600,000 per year. What they have funded is blisteringly good though. Sorry if that sounds a little biased but I've been following LEAP's development for more than a decade and think the organisation does outstanding work.