Lambeth shares jobs aid cash

Pills and help signLambeth is to receive a share of £6m funding to help unemployed Londoners into work, especially people who are homeless or overcoming substance abuse.

The London Councils organisation, which represents London’s 32 councils and the City of London, has commissioned six initiatives  with a total of £6m funding.

The money will come from London Councils and the European Social Fund, part of the European Union

Lambeth council deputy leader Paul McGlone, who represents the Ferndale ward and is chair of the London Councils’ grants committee, said: “The money will be focused on those who are a long way from employment and will offer tailored support.”

At least 4,500 people would be helped and boroughs would receive support based on their needs.

The programme would offer enhanced support for homeless people and those who recently recovered from substance abuse. Increased payments would reflect the extra help required to support these people back into work.

Other target groups will include disabled people, over-50s, ethnic minorities and women.

The projects will be delivered by voluntary and community organisations and run from September 2016 to December 2018.

Lambeth will be in a “cluster” of boroughs with Wandsworth, Kingston, Merton, Sutton and Croydon. They will receive just under £1m which will be administered by the London Training and Employment Network charity.

Brixton-based MI Compute Solutions will run the programme for another cluster of boroughs.

London Councils says it will manage the projects and that organisations will only receive payment once a participant is placed in a job or in further education.