Wakefield Council asked to approve £168k to help people into work

STEP-UP was launched in 2019 with the aim of helping all residents to access job opportunities, upskill and find better work.

The programme is free and open to all residents, and successfully targets those residents who are considered to be furthest from the labour market.

Overall, the STEP-UP programme has supported over 3,000 residents, with 1,000 of these moving into sustainable jobs, meaning they were still employed at the end of a six-month period.

Of this number, half have been young people and over 200 were supported into work during the first Covid-19 lockdown period.

Councillor Darren Byford, Wakefield Council’s cabinet member with responsibility for employment and skills, said: “The STEP-UP programme has been successful because it is community-based, in the areas of greatest deprivation and supports all residents regardless of their employment status or distance from the labour market.

“We believe that it is vital that the service retains this ethos, with a focus on providing most in-depth support to those in specific groups who would otherwise be left behind.

“It has been a difficult time for our resident. Since the pandemic, unemployment across the district has risen to around 7,000 compared to 5,000 pre-pandemic and now we have a cost-of-living crisis which means support services like STEP-UP, which help people find jobs and give them the skills to move into better paid jobs, is more crucial than ever.”

Cabinet approval is being sought for council revenue funding for the STEP-UP programme to bridge the gap between the current ESF grant funding which ends in December 2022 and the start of new grant funding streams in April 2023.

The council is urging residents and businesses in need of skills and employment advice and support to get in touch with STEP-UP on 01924 303 334 or email [email protected]. The service is free of charge to all residents and businesses.

Members of the cabinet are meeting on Tuesday, October 11 at 10.30am. The meeting can be watched live or later on the council’s website.