Social housing providers in Bristol have joined forces with the council in a move aimed at tackling unemployment in the city.
Bristol City Council has commissioned a dedicated worker to support unemployed residents back into work and training, who will work with the registered social landlords that form part of the Bristol Housing Partnership.
The initiative follows on from a city council pilot, which ran from January 2010 to March 2011, which centred on BCC tenants in Lawrence Hill. It provided intensive support to 87 residents, many of whom faced multiple barriers to employment and succeeded in helping 25 people move back into work.
The success of the project which employed a council officer led to the commissioning a similar one which will cover the east-central area of Bristol.
Councillor Anthony Negus, Cabinet Member for Housing, Property Services and Regeneration at Bristol City Council, said: “We know that many of our tenants and those of our partners face significant challenges at this time, particularly those who have been unemployed for some time and who need support and help in order to access training and employment opportunities.
“Although the funding of this post does not represent a major investment in terms of the sums of money involved, the hope is that the unique access of the housing partners to tenants means that it can have a significant impact.”
Jasmine Gozzard, who has been appointed full-time Employment and Learning Officer, said: “I work one-to-one with people to help them with CVs and application forms, getting on to courses, improving interview skills, and maintaining confidence and motivation throughout the job search - basically whatever they need to empower them to find training or employment."
Despite Bristol’s thriving economy, there are still groups of people in the city affected by persistent unemployment, and they often live in social housing.
Social housing providers in Bristol estimate that around 60 per cent of their working-age customers are not in employment and their residents make up around 75 per cent of out-of-work people in the city.
Social tenants face many barriers to moving into work. These can include low-skill levels, disability, caring responsibilities, or a lack of work experience.
Donna Johnson, Co-chair of the Bristol Housing Partnership, said: “Housing providers are well placed to identify individuals who need this kind of assistance. By appointing the Employment and Learning Officer, we are looking to offer the support and encouragement needed to help our customers move towards employment and training.
“This is a partnership of agencies that have a significant investment in Bristol. We realise that by lowering unemployment and increasing skills and aspirations we can tackle deprivation and ultimately benefit the city.”
Gez Bentley, Employment & Training Links Coordinator for Sovereign South+West, added: “The current changes to the welfare system are having an impact on our tenants; many of them are facing reduced benefits and increased pressure to move into work.
“For those who have not been in employment for some time, the obstacles can seem immense. There is a good network of support agencies in Bristol to help people move towards employment, but many social tenants are not in contact with these agencies and don’t know how to get started.”
BRISTOL BUSINESS EXPO SET TO SMASH RECORDS
(Wed 25/01)
Guide to becoming a modern day entrepreneur
(Tue 18/10)
Post a comment