Projects
Details of LONDON O3-funded projects.
Working Towards Employment
The Working Towards Employment project, led by the Financial Training Company, provides training to young people aligned to the LSC mainstream model of Apprenticeship. It is aimed at young people aged 16-23 and prioritises young people who are unemployed and economically inactive. It will equip 220 young people with the skills necessary to enter and progress within the London Financial and Business Services sector.
Reaching Excluded Groups
The project staged a number of awareness raising events at community venues in order to engage unemployed young people. This is followed by customised information advice and guidance throughout the project in order to support young people onto appropriate career paths. This is further complemented by empowerment events involving role models and motivational speakers to raise the confidence and aspirations of young people.
It is envisaged that at least 220 young people will then enrol onto the one-year intensive AAT training, which will involve key skills to ensure work-readiness. Work placements will also be arranged for the young people in order to complete their NVQ. In order to ensure that young people are retained in employment, there will be on-going support by training advisors during the initial period of employment.
Responding to the Sector
The geographical targeting of this project on East, South and Central London is in response to the concentration of Financial and Business Services in these areas. The sector accounts for 45% of employment in London East and 38% of key employment sectors in South London, with growth projected in Bromley and Corydon in particular.
However, local residents have historically found it difficult to access jobs in this sector and so this project aims to widen the recruitment pool locally by addressing identified skills gaps related to work experience.
Innovation
The project will use an e-portfolio / 'Skills Folio' an innovative web based application allowing beneficiary progress to be monitored and reviewed by a number of people at dispersed locations. This will provide an ICT-based portable tool beneficiaries can then continue to use into employment.
Partnership
The project is focused on East, South and Central London and involves a wide range of partners including; Kingston College, Presentation Housing Association, Ealing Family Housing, Threshold Housing Association, Connexions Central, Olmec, Windsor Fellowship, Action Training Centre, Quantica Training, JHP Training Ltd, Motivation and Personal Success Ltd, Impactability Limited and Tribal Technology Limited. These partners bring a wide geographical spread for recruitment of beneficiaries and also specialist support for retention of beneficaries.
Project Delivery
The project started in August 2006 and will end by July 2008. It is set to achieve the following:
- 288 learners, young people (16-23) who are unemployed / economically inactive
- 85 qualifications gained (NVQ in Accounting)
- 190 progressions to further learning
- 100 beneficiaries progressing to employment
Funding
The project has £999,890 of European Social Funding under Objective 3 (Specification 2.2f). The funding has come through the LSC Pan London ESF Programme 2.
Further information
For further information about the European Social Fund and the LSC Pan London ESF Programme, please visit:
Alternatively please contact the Pan London O3 Team at ECOTEC (0845 630 8699; LondonO3@ecotec.co.uk).
Further information about the Financial Training Company is available at:
http://www.ftckaplan.com
Learning & Skills Council
The Learning and Skills Council exists to make England better skilled and more competitive. The LSC is responsible for planning and funding high quality education and training for everyone in England other than those in universities. For any media enquiries about the LSC please contact Ryan Ansah (T: 020 7904 0796).
