The Connect to Work programme will offer guidance for those with health conditions, disabilities, and complex barriers, who are struggling to get into work.
East Sussex County Council have been provided with up to £11 million of funding from the Department for Work and Pensions to help deliver the programme to the county.
To celebrate the schemes official launch, the Minister of State for Employment, Alison McGovern, visited East Sussex College’s Marine Workshops in Newhaven last Friday (June 13).
During her visit, the minister met with residents, businesses, and delivery partners to discuss the new programme and its benefits.
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Speaking to The Argus, Ms McGovern highlighted the significance of the scheme.
“We know that over the past 15 years lots of people across the country have had a hard time and it’s left a number of people having time out of work.
“Often once you’ve been out of work, you can lose your confidence and connections with businesses and your talents which can make it much harder to get a job. And that’s why we are funding £11 million to provide really personalised help through this new programme.”
The Connect to Work programme is part of the government’s initiative to ‘Get Britain Working’ which aims to get 80% of the country in work by 2050.
The scheme will be provided through a voluntary, person-centred model, working in line with services which are already available.
The minister’s visit focussed on this, Ms McGovern speaking with delivery partners, alongside strategic partners such as East Sussex College Group, the Department for Work and Pensions and NHS Sussex.
The minister also had the opportunity to meet with residents who have successfully transitioned into work through similar programmes.
The minister said: “We’ve be left with a situation where there is 2.8 million people out of work. This is not a good thing for our country, both for the economic impact to the country as well as the psychological impact for people.
“The evidence shows that programmes like this can make a really big difference.
“I was really pleased to meet with people in Newhaven. It was really inspirational to hear from both sides.
“I came away from my visit to Newhaven with a significant level of confidence that the investment has been spent well and will help thousands of people.”
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County Councillor Penny di Cara, lead member for economy, added: “Connect to Work represents a real step change in how we support our residents into meaningful employment. It’s about recognising the potential in every individual and ensuring they have the right support at the right time.
“I’m proud that East Sussex is leading the way in delivering this innovative and compassionate approach.”
The rollout in East Sussex marked the second delivery area in England and Wales. The programme is set to be gradually delivered across the whole country.
More information about the programme can be found on the East Sussex County Council website.