Regional Development Agencies can play a role

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Regional Development Agencies can play a role

• Jon Merrick Head of Employment

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The Northwest an overview

• The Northwest economy is worth 106 billion -
  bigger than 14 EU countries
• Europes largest concentration of universities
  can be found in the region with over 50,000
  graduates per year. These include The University
  of Manchester, Europes largest single site
  university
• The region is home to a wealth of world leading
  businesses including Bentley Motors, Jaguar/Land
  Rover, Fuji Film, BAE Systems and Unilever

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The Northwest an overview (contd)

• Over 230 biomedical companies in the region
  employ over 25,000 professionals in this major
  growth sector
• The region is home to the largest media hub
  outside of London
• Englands Northwest boasts Englands largest
  National Park The Lake District
• The region is also steeped in sporting heritage
  40 Premier league clubs, Aintree, world
  Championship Golf courses

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But, there is another side to the Northwest

• 355,500 people claiming IB/ESA (399,820 including
  those claiming other disability benefits)
• 9.3 of working age population claiming IB/ESA -
  7 nationally
• Compares with 4.7 of people claiming JSA in NW
  4.2 nationally
• Manchester 156,420 on IB 9.7
• Merseyside 94,920 on IB 11.4
• Lancashire 57,300 on IB 8
• Cheshire Warrington 24,130 on IB 5.8
• Cumbria 22,730 on IB 7.7

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NWDA Investment

• 16.2m in direct worklessness projects via sub
  regional partners including Prison Service
• Indirectly, the Agency funds many projects
  impacting upon jobs and employment
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• 7m grant for Greggs Bakery safeguarding 300
  jobs
• 26m for Northwest Business start up programme
• Business Finance 1.3m small loans
  creating/safeguarding 245 jobs

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NWDA working in partnership

• Chief Executive Chairs
• RSEB (Regional Skills and Employment Board)
• Regional Mental Health Leadership group
• Agency involvement
• REG (Regional Employability Group)
• 3 City Strategy Boards
• 5 Employment and Skills sub regional boards
• 5 current and emerging MAA Boards

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RSEB Aims

• Agree Regional Skills and Employment Priorities
• Identify and address market failure in skills and
  employment, including supply and demand
• Aligning skills and employment budgets of
  partners to ensure greater leverage and traction
• Provide strategic framework for Employment and
  Skills

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Regional Mental Health Leadership Group

• This group aims to bring together stakeholders
  from within NHS and mental health services with
  other key public sector partners
• The group aims to provide the links between
  mental health issues and employment

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The Landscape is Changing

• Partners have started to work together more
• Availability of provision such as Pathways to
  Work
• Welfare Reform ESA and review of IB clients
• LEP support to employers
• LSC more responsive

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Supporting Employers to Provide Supported
Employment

• Volunteer Learning Scheme at Stockport NHS
• Project to support those with barriers to
  employment
• Opportunities with hospitals and supply chain
• Dedicated Project Officer
• Support and Coordination for Managers
• Improved results 30 of participants gaining
  work

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Support for the Prison Service

• Recognise link between work and rehabilitation
• Support the Prison Service with labour market
  data
• Dedicated ESOs to involve employers with prisons
• Tailor prison work to needs of employers
• Strategy Manager Employment Developing links
• 69 prisoners gaining employment in 5 months
• 129 disaffected prisoners accessing focused
  training

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Support for individuals

• Accommodation for homeless people
• Provision of skills and training
• Building esteem and confidence
• Provision of supported employment opportunities

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The Agency leading by example

• Linking Capital Funding to Job Outcomes
• Lancashire PCT Preston North End Project
• Apprenticeships / Graduate Opportunities
• Secondment of Health Inclusion Manager to
  Merseycare

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Merseycare Secondment

• Increasing Job take up (those with mental
  health problems)
• Job Retention
• Action Plans Engagement Strategy
• Employer Support
• Identifying and Spreading Good Practice
• Encourage Innovative Practice

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NWDA and Marmot Review

• Actions to address health inequalities
• Health linked to socio-economic factors
• Encourage Social Enterprise Micro Start Up
• Regional Strategy what actions will have the
  biggest impact on local communities?
• Use secondment and Regional Mental Health Group
  to influence NWDA and partners agenda

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Opportunities

• Work with Business Link to promote examples of
  good practice and benefits to employers
• Use influence on Regional Groups e.g. REG, RSEB
  to promote supported employment agenda
• Develop models of good practice which can be used
  throughout the public sector

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Next Steps

• Encourage the agenda through support for FJF bids
  which include support for those with barriers to
  entering work
• Continue to work with sub-regional partners to
  ensure that the needs of the hard to help are
  properly articulated in investment plans
• Work with key employers to influence and
  facilitate the adoption of supportive employment
  practices
• Continue to look at how the NWDA and its
  partners/ suppliers can do more to encourage
  supportive employment through its procurement
  practice