£2.4m to tackle unemployment in rural Leicestershire for those most in need
A partnership of 8 voluntary and public-sector organisations led by local sight loss charity Vista have been awarded £2.4million funding from the European Social Fund and Big Lottery Fund through the Building Better Opportunities programme.
The Work.Live.Leicestershire (WiLL) partnership will help over 500 people who are unemployed or economically inactive and living in rural Leicestershire move into job search, training, or employment.
After consulting with over 200 people across rural Leicestershire, the programme will focus on filling gaps in current services, providing access to holistic, tailored support and break down the barriers to people entering work or learning.
Working across rural Leicestershire, the programme will help people to improve their health and wellbeing, gain skills and work experience, and have improved confidence, motivation and social engagement.
The programme will also work with employers to identify and develop supported employment opportunities and to embrace inclusive recruitment. As well as helping people move into job search, training or employment, the programme will also enable and facilitate local people to start their own business through a business advice programme.
The programme will run from January 2019 to June 2020.
Dr Jamie Mackrill, Director of New Opportunities at Vista said: “We are delighted to have been awarded the £2.4 million from the European Social Fund and the Big Lottery Fund’s Building Better Opportunities programme. The money means we can support people furthest from the jobs market who live in rural Leicestershire by providing holistic support to meet their need. We can also build links across the county with employers to make access to work more inclusive for these people as well as encourage people to start their own ventures that benefit the local community and economy. We have a great partnership with real local knowledge of Leicestershire and will work together to build a better infrastructure in these areas.”
James Harcourt, England Grant-Making Director at the Big Lottery Fund, said: “We are proud to be funding this project, which has put people who will benefit at the heart of designing the programme, so they receive support that is tailored to their needs. Thanks to National Lottery players and the European Social Fund, people in Leicestershire will be provided with the opportunity to learn new skills, helping them move closer to employment and training.”
About Work.Live.Leicestershire
Work.Live.Leicestershire (WiLL) is one Building Better Opportunities programme being delivered in 38 Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) areas, according to local priorities, which have been set by the LEPs themselves.
Work.Live.Leicestershire (WiLL) is a partnership of 8 organisations; Vista, CASE, De Montfort University, Leicestershire County Council, Prince’s Trust, Rural Community Council, Voluntary Action LeicesterShire, and Workers’ Educational Association.
For more information about the project, contact Dr Jamie Mackrill at contactus@workliveleicestershire.org.uk or call 07715 078 849
