Indus Delta Welfare to Work Newswire - 6 July 2012
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Latest News
Work Programme - Initial analysis of participants who attached to the Work Programme
DWP has notified the Statistics Authority of a release of the initial analysis of participants who attached to the Work Programme on Monday 9 July.
Read more here.
Charity secures ‘Good’ Merlin accreditation for its supply chain support
Following its Merlin1 assessment2, which measures how well Work Programme prime providers support, manage and work with their supply chain, Careers Development Group achieved a ‘good’ grade with a score of 70%. This is the second best of four outcome categories – excellent, good, aatisfactory and unsatisfactory.
Read more here.
Joint report warns of dramatic rise in disadvantaged children and families
A coalition of the UK’s leading children’s charities warns today (6 July) that the number of children living in vulnerable families in Britain will rise markedly to over one million by 2015, unless critical action is taken urgently.
Read more here.
Employers urged by UKCES to do more to stem rising tide of youth unemployment
Generations of skills and talent risk being lost because changes in the labour market are making it increasingly difficult for young people to get a good job, a report published on 2 July warns.
Read more here.
Launch of a new youth employment scheme in Northern Ireland
The Minister for Employment in Northen Ireland, Dr Stephen Farry, announced the launch of the 'Youth Employment Scheme', a series of measures to help young people aged 16 to 18 not in employment, education or training and unemployed young people aged 18 to 24 find and secure sustainable employment.
Read more here.
England's mid-sized companies feeling the skills squeeze, report warns
The country’s economic recovery could be jeopardised by a lack of skilled workers in some key businesses, a report published by the UK Commission for Employment and Skills warns.
Read more here.
Government expands in-work support to disabled young people
Young disabled jobseekers on work experience will be able to access extra support to help them into mainstream placements for the first time.
Read more here.
Social Fund vouchers: Down and Out in the UK and Australia
By Emily Crawford, Inclusion’s Australia Associate.
So, the latest welfare cuts plan is to localise the Social Fund and, at the same time as need is increasing, reduce the pot of funding for it. So far so expected in Austerity Britain. But, according to The Guardian’s Patrick Butler, a novel element is the introduction of vouchers, with claimants given a Tesco or Sainsbury’s storecard instead of cash, some of which will be restricted to prevent the purchase of cigarettes and alcohol. For larger items, claimants will be issued vouchers to local recycled furniture stores.
Read more here.
CPAG indicates the opportunities and risks related to the localisation of the Social Fund for London local authorities
The Child Poverty Action Group has produced a report highlighting potential opportunities and risks in delivering the discretionary social fund at the local level within London. This is part of CPAG’s new line of work around child poverty in London, where four in 10 children fall below the poverty line, a higher number than child poverty for Scotland and Wales put together.
Read more here.
European Commission's studies show apprenticeships and traineeships useful but need to be improved
Two studies undertaken for the European Commission on Apprenticeships and traineeships in all European Union (EU) member states recommend that these schemes should be more responsive to labour market requirements, better adapted to business needs and offer more guarantees in terms of quality and perspectives for young people.
Read more here.
Listings of the week
Welfare to Work UK Convention 2012, 10/11 July 2012, ICC Birmingham
At a Glance Programme Released
Last chance to register click here to book online
In these times people need to know ‘what works’, and to be confident of sound information and analysis.
Inclusion has brought together over 80 Convention sessions and confirmed the keynote speakers you want to hear. We also know that you want to meet new people as well as old friends – to forge the opportunities of the future. This is why the Convention exhibition this year is bigger yet again.
Make sure you're a part of the most significant event in the Welfare to Work calendar!
Follow the Convention on at: #w2w2012
CAPTURING TALENT
Inclusion is delighted that Alderwood Education is sponsoring the "Capturing Talent" mentoring initiative.
Forty discounted places are available for Employability Professionals to attend the Welfare to Work 2012 Convention in Birmingham on 10/11 July. Mentors attending the Convention can claim a one day ticket for just £50+VAT for a colleague that they are mentoring.
To claim your place the mentor must download and complete a Capturing Talent Convention booking form.
Email your completed form to
Welfare to Work Scotland, 19 and 20 September 2012
Venue: Crown Plaza Hotel, Glasgow
Confirmed plenary speakers:
Rt Hon. Iain Duncan Smith MP
Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Department for Work and Pensions
John Swinney MSP
Cabinet Secretary, Scottish Government
Registrations now open, fees range from £135–£270 +VAT
*Early bird fees available now*
You can book online or complete a booking form
High unemployment presents a very real challenge for us all and there’s a lot of thinking underway about how to work together better in Scotland.
For some, this discussion is mainly about current plans to design and better integrate our existing services around the needs of individuals, employers and communities. For others the focus is more on longer-term visions of what Scotland could do to reduce unemployment and increase employment opportunities, in particular for our young people.
This year’s Convention will bring you the latest on current plans and future visions. We will also look at the impacts that high unemployment and benefits changes may have on groups and communities facing particularly severe barriers to employment. It will ask what a Scottish employability service should look like, as well as ensuring a host of opportunities for sharing views and information under the following three themes:
- Working better together
- Working better for young people
- Working better with employers
We are looking for innovative case studies and proposals for policy seminars. The expression of interest is open to all sector professionals, academics, employers, prime providers and organisations working as subcontractors in the government’s Work Programme. The closing date for applications is Monday 6 August 2012.
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