This section shows examples of how councils are developing localised employment and skills programmes to support residents back into work.
The Basildon Advice Store opened in 2019 and is run by Basildon Council. Residents may walk in and use it to access employment-related skills from a range of local providers.
Bristol City Council’s employment, skills and learning service works proactively to ensure it adds value to the skills and employment system, including through its ‘Bristol One City’ partnership.
Bristol City Council: employment, skills and learning service
Through the development of a Work Local model, the Council wants to improve employment, skills and workforce development opportunities. By engaging with small and medium enterprises to understand their future workforce needs, and working with local partner agencies, the Council is building a support offer for local residents to develop job opportunities and career pathways.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Exeter City Council and Exeter Chamber of Commerce have worked in partnership to launch Exeter Works, an online and physical advice hub to support people in the Greater Exeter area who need advice and guidance on a range of areas related to skills and employment.
Hampshire County Council’s skills strategy and action plan works across two Local Education Partnerships and three unitary areas. This requires them to develop strong partnerships with providers and employers, with good skills programme networks to meet their region’s diverse needs.
The Think Work Strategy is intended to boost the take-up of apprenticeships, encourage living wages with businesses, tackle unemployment and in-work poverty, and create good jobs for everyone.
Community Employment Hubs have been set up in various locations across Somerset West and Taunton. The hubs offer flexible support to people who want to overcome personal barriers to their skills development and employment prospects. The holistic approach and ethos of the hubs contribute towards the confidence, self-esteem, social interaction, health and wellbeing of attendees. The hub model has proved to be a success and the aims are to develop and expand the provision across the district.
Somerset West and Taunton Council: Community Employment Hubs
Work Well Suffolk is a locally integrated coaching and employment service that tackles the deep-seated barriers to work for all who need it. The service acts as the ‘cement between the bricks’ of the health, employability, skills and wellbeing services that are available to people in Suffolk. It will ensure that individuals can gain bespoke and timely access to relevant services whilst blending in coaching, employability support, skills provision, advice and guidance.
Tees Valley Combined Authority aims to grow the local economy by focusing on transforming education, employment and skills across the area. Their Routes to Work pilot has supported almost 4,000 people and helped nearly 800 back into employment across the Tees Valley.