One of the Government’s 5 missions is to kickstart economic growth with good jobs and improved productivity in every part of the country. The ambition is for a more inclusive economy which enables people to get into work and to get on at work, ensuring employment opportunity for all. The Government aims to take a more collaborative, locally led approach to tackling ‘Hidden Unemployment’, to support local people to realise their potential through local and national growth.
Connect to Work will take a collaborative, locally led approach to tackling ‘Hidden Unemployment’. It will help connect local work, health and skills support. The funding provides a coherent, systematic and joined up approach to maximise the benefits available for individuals and local communities.
By encouraging join up between health systems and employment support, Connect to Work will support those, primarily, currently outside the workforce and facing greater labour market disadvantages, to stay in work and get back into work. In turn, supporting the Government’s ambition for a more inclusive economy, supporting local people to realise their potential and supporting local and national growth. People outside the workforce are categorised as ‘Economically Inactive’. The Office for National Statistics defines ‘economically inactive’ people as “people not in employment who have not been seeking work within the last 4 weeks and/or are unable to start work within the next 2 weeks”. There are many reasons why an individual may be inactive, for example, they might be studying, looking after family, long-term sick or simply not wishing to work. These individuals are not part of the supply of labour but are important as they are a potential labour supply in the future.
While unemployment is currently relatively low, the number of economically inactive people across the UK has remained around the 8.7 million during 2023. It has contributed to labour market shortages in a number of sectors, reducing their ability to meet customer demand and contribute to growth. Finding ways of bringing economically inactive people back into the labour force is therefore seen as strategically important for economic growth, both nationally and locally.
Further details of Connect to Work can be found at:
Business Enterprise Support is looking to tender for the opportunity to deliver Connect to Work in Staffordshire, excluding Stoke-on-Trent where there will be alternative provision. We are looking to receive expressions of interest from other organisations who would like to engage with us as a delivery partner. In such an arrangement BES would be the lead delivery partner and would buy in more specialist services from other providers. Specialist services might include, for example:
- Employability support;
- Supporting the development of digital skills;
- Confidence building;
- Development of work related skills;
- Developing motivation;
- Financial / debt / benefits advice
- Provision of Support Hubs where people can attend for support; and
- Supporting the development of better health and wellbeing.
Essentially we are looking to identify organisations that can readily engage with people outside the workforce and provide people centred support as part of a wider package of services that those outside the workforce might need to access in order that they can re-enter it.
If your organisation would like to be involved, please use the form below to express an interest.
