Today, leaders from across South Yorkshire gathered at Barnsley Town Hall to mark the one-year anniversary of the Pathways to Work Commission\u2019s report\u2014an initiative born in Barnsley that has since sparked national momentum in tackling economic inactivity.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n
The event brought together influential regional and national voices to reflect on the progress made since the Commission\u2019s launch and to outline the next phase of delivery. Keynote speeches were delivered by Rt Hon Alan Milburn, Chair of the Commission and former Secretary of State for Health; Oliver Coppard, South Yorkshire\u2019s Mayor; and Councillor Sir Steve Houghton CBE, Leader of Barnsley Council.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Over the past year, the Commission\u2019s work has helped shape national policy, most notably influencing the Government\u2019s Get Britain Working White Paper and secured South Yorkshire\u2019s status as a trailblazer area, with a recent funding extension announced in the Government\u2019s Spending Review\u2014cementing its role as a national leader in integrating health, skills, and employment support.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The event also featured a review of the Commission\u2019s recommendations, powerful case studies from residents supported into work, and a roundtable with South Yorkshire businesses focused on how the region can work collectively to help people not only get into work\u2014but stay in work.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The anniversary marks a pivotal moment in the region\u2019s journey to reduce economic inactivity and build a more inclusive economy. With continued national backing and local commitment, South Yorkshire is set to lead the way in shaping the future of work.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Speaking at the event, Rt Hon Alan Milburn, Chair of the Commission and former Secretary of State for Health, said:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cTackling economic inactivity must become a national mission\u2014one that unites government, employers, local authorities, and of course, people themselves.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe Commission\u2019s report stressed that lasting change requires action not just nationally, but locally too.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cOver the past year, a quiet revolution has begun\u2014and Barnsley and South Yorkshire are leading the way. The Commission\u2019s findings, and the local steps taken to implement them, have not only shaped national policy but also inspired other areas, from North Yorkshire to Northern Ireland.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cChange is essential\u2014and it must come with urgency. We\u2019ve made a strong start. Now it\u2019s time to accelerate. Getting more people out of economic inactivity and back into work must become a shared imperative.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI have no doubt that Barnsley and South Yorkshire will continue to lead the change.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Reflecting on the region\u2019s achievements, South Yorkshire\u2019s Mayor and Chair of the South Yorkshire Integrated Care Partnership, Oliver Coppard said:<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cWe know the decline of South Yorkshire\u2019s traditional industries left a legacy of poor health, of fractured communities, and limited opportunities, which is still holding people back across our region. But we\u2019re changing things, not just identifying the challenges, but tackling them head-on.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cPathways to Work shows what happens when we put people at the heart of change. In just one year, it\u2019s grown from a local pilot into a nationally recognised programme, backed by government investment and set to support 10,000 people across our region access good jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re building a South Yorkshire where everyone can stay near and go far, that it isn\u2019t just about getting people back into work; it\u2019s about pride, purpose and unlocking potential.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWhen people have access to new opportunities, we don\u2019t just transform lives, we strengthen communities and we\u2019re making it happen here in South Yorkshire.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Councillor Sir Steve Houghton CBE, Leader of Barnsley Council, added:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cBarnsley has always led from the front\u2014and Pathways to Work is a powerful example of what we can achieve when we act with purpose and ambition. We\u2019re proud to be one of just nine areas in the country developing a trailblazing model that brings health, skills, and employment support together in a more connected system that works for everyone.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWhat began as a local commission has grown into a national movement.\u00a0With 520 participants enrolled and 30 people already supported into jobs across South Yorkshire,\u00a0we\u2019re showing what\u2019s possible when we break down barriers and connect people to opportunity. This isn\u2019t just about employment\u2014it\u2019s about supporting people into healthier, happier, and more productive lives. We\u2019re excited about what\u2019s next for Pathways and the difference it will continue to make across our region.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Joint statement from Barnsley\u2019s commissioned providers supporting the Pathways to Work model:<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cAs commissioned providers, we’re proud to be working together to deliver the Pathways to Work model in Barnsley\u2014an ambitious and tailored approach that helps people overcome challenges, find the right training and support, and progress into meaningful employment.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cSouth Yorkshire Housing Association, St Giles Trust, Autism Plus, Visualised It and Berneslai Homes are offering personalised support for people with health conditions, caring responsibilities, young people aged 16 to 24, and other vulnerable groups.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cBarnsley CVS is working with local voluntary and community organisations to lead community outreach, making sure we connect with people who\u00a0might otherwise miss out on the support available.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cDown2U Health and Wellbeing, Green Tree Therapy, and BPL are delivering health and wellbeing services, including physiotherapy and solution-focused therapy, because we know that good health is key to getting into work\u2014and staying in it.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cTogether, we\u2019re combining our strengths to make sure no one is left behind, meeting people where they are and giving them the support that works for them.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Today, leaders from across South Yorkshire gathered at Barnsley Town Hall to mark the one-year anniversary of the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":160796,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8817],"tags":[748,393,4884,1620,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-257065","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sheffield","8":"tag-britain","9":"tag-england","10":"tag-great-britain","11":"tag-sheffield","12":"tag-uk","13":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/114836472081867669","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/257065","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=257065"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/257065\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/160796"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=257065"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=257065"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=257065"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}