Convergence Investments

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1.6.2008

Department for Work and Pensions/Jobcentre Plus Co-Financing Programme

Jobcentre Plus is co-financing three ESF Convergence investments worth £16m - Cornwall Works Plus, Cornwall Works for Social Enterprise and Cornwall Works for Learning Disabilities – which all support people into work. The ESF Convergence activity is matched with activity from the mainstream Pathways to Work programme.

Cornwall Works Plus aims to improve the employability and skills of unemployed people and to tackle barriers to work faced by people with disabilities or health conditions; those who are lone parents; people aged 50 and over; ethnic minorities and people with no or low qualifications.  Cornwall Works Plus will provide an individual pathway to employment for each participant rather than adopting a one-size-fits-all approach.

Through Cornwall Works for Social Enterprise unemployed people are offered the opportunity to develop their own skills and find sustainable employment by working with social enterprises such as Fifteen Cornwall and the Eden Project.  This includes investing in existing social enterprises to help them support more jobless individuals, and investing in the development of new social enterprises which can provide sustainable employment for jobless people. 

Support into work for people with learning disabilities is provided through Cornwall Works for Learning Disabilities which offers information, advice and assessment to identify a pathway to employment based on the skills and aspirations of each participant. 

This investment gives us the opportunity to build on the groundbreaking work that was delivered through Jobcentre Plus and our partners using Objective One investment and enabled over 5,000 people to gain qualifications and jobs.  In Convergence we have raised the bar again, and will ensure that everyone who goes into work will have ongoing training and development; that programmes and providers work together to provide continuity of support to individuals and their families and that the support available is of the highest quality.Carolyn Webster, European Programmes Manager, Jobcentre Plus

Related links:

22.11.10 European Social Fund half way point marked
12.11.10 Builder retrained and back in work with Convergence support
24.10.10 BCS Training wins Gwellheans Acclaimed National Training Award

For further information:

WISE Award Winners 2011