Issue - meetings

To hear from Paul Clarke, Programme Manager – Employment and Skills, Haringey Council.

Paul Clarke – Employment and Skills Officer

Aims to support people back into work.

The Haringey Guarantee project engages with residents through public and front line services.  The project them identifies what barriers they are facing in returning/finding work.  The officers then undertake job brokerage by identifying jobs throughout the borough, guaranteeing an interview and offering support for 26 weeks to ensure that people maintain employment.

Engagement takes place through:

• Libraries
• Children Centres
• Youth Offending Service
• Drug and Alcohol Action Team
• Customer Services
• Job Centre Plus
• GP surgeries
• Probation services, etc

People are also offered benefits advice e.g. by using the Department for Welfare and Pensions software “Better off Calculator”.  This includes considering the carers allowance.

Access to unpaid work placements is also provided where lunch and travel expenses up to £35 per week are paid.  This allowance does not affect people’s benefit claims.

Measurements:

• Currently 1073 residents on the programme
• 227 job starts

There are no specific targets or measurements around carers.

Economic Regeneration has also not specifically been engaged with carers or carers organisations to date.

The Carers Partnership Board is due to set up an Employment work stream.  Economic regeneration will be contacted to attend these meetings.