Future Jobs Fund Update 1

Future Jobs Fund 15th February 2010
 
 
The purpose of this paper is to share with Community Planning Partnership progress of the Future Jobs Fund.
 
Third Sector Hebrides, after consultation with and the participation of a range of interests, made a third sector bid to deliver a brokeraged FJF service in the Islands. An initial round of 20 places was approved, and a contract was signed with the DWP in late October which, with lead-in times, meant that vacancies began to be released before Xmas 2009.
 
The criteria are:

To create extra jobs for long-term unemployed
To benefit the local community
To create jobs which prioritise the 18-24 age group

The Future Jobs Fund contribution is national minimum wage over a 6-month period. Jobs will be at least 25 hours per week.
 
A member of TSH staff is working closely with around 20 organisations and the local Jobcentre, who advertise vacancies and make referrals from eligible candidates.
 
It should be noted that this is not a training programme but an employment programme and that participating employing organisations, whether they be voluntary organisations, social businesses or others, have contractual obligations with TSH and to the employee after they take on the recruit.
 
Demographics and other factors give an uneven spread and range of qualifying young people, but it is possible in certain circumstances to open up the age range to the over-25 age group where a place cannot be filled. In practical terms this means that, going from north to south within the Western Isles area, there are fewer eligible individuals from the priority group. Nevertheless, the programme enables young people to have new or accelerated jobs where there can be a fit with employing organisations, social enterprises and others where there is community benefit, and where new vacancies can be generated.
 
Examples of jobs created or being created include recycling, research, clerical, administration, sales, riding school trainees, youth work, music studio trainees, general hands, environmental and finance. Organisations from any part of the Western Isles can download appropriate paperwork from the OHSEP website for submission to TSH for potential additional jobs.
 
Employing organisations get their employment costs covered to the agreed level, including the employers National Insurance, for the 6-month period the person is employed, plus help with payroll if needed, HR support, equal opportunities guidance, review support and sundry other benefits where they are required and negotiated.
 
In addition to employment, the employee may get an individual learning account, additional jobsearch help, on the job training, a clothing contribution and other discretionary support where available.
 
At the time of writing there have been over 70 referrals to participating organisations, with an average of over three applicants per job. The first vacancy filled was in Uist, and a further recruitment round has taken place over the last month which should see recruitment rise to a level between 50-60%. It is anticipated that, providing a fit between vacancies and individuals can be found, this should result in an 80% level by the end of March.
 
While external factors meant there was a slower start to begin with, and that can often be the case with new initiatives and programmes, TSH are working hard with Jobcentre partners and others to maximise take-up and entry into work which strengthens organisations and benefits the individual and the community.
 
As a separate initiative Third Sector Hebrides has, as part of its Volunteering Hebrides range of activities, 10 six-month volunteering placements available for 16-18 year olds, or those who do not qualify for Future Jobs Fund. This provides full-time volunteering placements for young people, who will get an allowance of 55 per week plus 14.50 travel. Two young people have recently been placed in a youth work setting. TSH are happy to work with any of its members to facilitate these volunteering opportunities. Our past experience has shown that this project has a high proportion of participants who go on to employment or further education after their placement.
 
We hope the CPP would welcome these initiatives, recognise they provide life chances to individuals, and acknowledge the hard work up front being made by those seeking to make a positive difference to youth employment in the Hebrides.
 
Third Sector Hebrides
4 February 2010