Engagement Gateway Latest News
Engagement Gateway Showcase Event
The Engagement Gateway Showcase Event will be held at the Voluntary Action Centre on Thursday 9th September from 9:30am - 12:30pm
As you may be aware the Gateway aims to reduce economic inactivity in Wales by improving the employability of people who face barriers to employment and are furthest from the labour market. The scheme will invest £34m in organisations that work with target groups of people and will offer contracts up to a maximum total value of £150,000, including match funding. Several contracts have already been awarded in Merthyr!!
To promote these contracts we are holding a showcase event giving you an opportunity to find out how the activities they deliver may be suitable for some of the individuals you work with, how you can make referrals to them and how these projects can compliment your existing delivery. There will be plenty of opportunities to find out exactly what activities are being delivered and there will also be plenty of opportunities to ask any questions.
These are the contracts that are underway and delivering activity in Merthyr
3G’s Development Trust - will provide one-on-one support to help the most disengaged community members in Gurnos, Penydarren and other Communities First areas in Merthyr Tydfil to take up volunteering opportunities. Training, learning and personal development will be integral to the programme.
Groundwork Merthyr & RCT Greenskills4Greener Futures project uses the need for management and enhancement of the natural environment and community green space as a vehicle for up-skilling and confidence building in those furthest from the jobs market and require a period of ‘hand-holding’ to begin contributing positively to society from a social and economic perspective.
Llamau Ltd will deliver a pre-vocational learning programme providing engaging and stimulating learning opportunities for young people and vulnerable women in a variety of friendly and supportive environments. The programme aims to enhance self-esteem, develop positive skills and talents, and enable learners to move toward amore confident and independent future.
Merthyr Tydfil Institute for the Blind The programme is a wholly inclusive training package focussed on developing both hard and soft employability skills and individually-tailored job-specific skills, delivered through a mixture of face-to-face learning, discussion and group work, whilst providing practical experience to reinforce ideas through suitable job placement at our onsite facility.
Rathbone Cymru will be developing a Skills Shop in their shop fronted Merthyr Tydfil learning centre accessible for young people aged 16-25 on a drop-in basis. Disengaged young people will be able to access information, advice, guidance, work experience tasters and nationally recognised qualifications as they prepare to seek education, employment or training opportunities.
More local organisations join the Engagement Gateway Approved Supplier List - May 2010
WCVA’s Engagement Gateway published their most recent approved supplier lists and several more local organisations have become eligible to tender for contracts in Convergence areas.
Local additions to the approved supplier list include:
- Integrated Children’s Centre Merthyr Tydfil
- Merthyr Tydfil Borough Credit Union
- Morphious
- Tydfil Training Consortium Ltd.
- Willows Centre Troedyrhiw
To view the full updated approved supplier list for the convergence areas go to this link.
The scheme, backed by over £34m of European and Assembly funding, aims to tackle economic inactivity by investing in organisations that give people facing barriers to employment the skills and opportunities to get back into work.
Gateway was launched at the end of 2008 and are now issuing tender opportunities of up to £150,000.
The schemes aim is to move different economically inactive groups towards employment through the support of contracted organisations.
Organisations who successfully win contracts under the Gateway will be expected to develop the skills and confidence of target groups and link progress to a ‘next step’ such as a referral to another project, volunteering, training, supported or non-supported employment.
The Engagement Gateway is funded by the Welsh Assembly Government and European Structural Funds (European Social Fund).
For more information on Engagement Gateway contact Carol Evans your local advisor. 01685 353 984.
Engagement Gateway First Contracts Announced - April 2010
The first contracts under Engagement Gateway have been finalised and the following organisation were successful and will be delivering activity in Merthyr Tydfil
Fairbridge Cymru will deliver a progression route of courses that will improve self esteem, confidence and life skills so that young people that are not in employment, education or training can take responsibility for their future and re-engage meaningfully with their local communities.
3G’s Development Trust will provide one-on-one support to help the most disengaged community members in Gurnos, Penydarren and other Communities First areas in Merthyr Tydfil to take up volunteering opportunities. Training, learning and personal development will be integral to the programme
Rathbone Cymru will be developing a Skills Shop in their shop fronted Merthyr Tydfil learning centre accessible for young people aged 16-25 on a drop-in basis. Disengaged young people will be able to access information, advice, guidance, work experience tasters and nationally recognised qualifications as they prepare to seek education, employment or training opportunities.
Merthyr Tydfil Institute for the Blind will be delivering an employability skills programme to people with a work limiting visual impairment. The programme is a wholly inclusive training package focussed on developing both hard and soft employability skills and individually-tailored job-specific skills, delivered through a mixture of face-to-face learning, discussion and group work, whilst providing practical experience to reinforce ideas through suitable job placement at our onsite facility.
Llamau Ltd will deliver a pre-vocational learning programme providing engaging and stimulating learning opportunities for young people and vulnerable women in a variety of friendly and supportive environments. The programme aims to enhance self-esteem, develop positive skills and talents, and enable learners to move toward amore confident and independent future.
Learn About will deliver an engagement programme leading to accredited client-led learning for 16 to 24 year olds not in education, employment or training. The community based programme will progress participants to mainstream learning such as Work Based Learning or college courses.
For further information about these activities or the Engagement Gateway Scheme please contact your local advisor Carol Evans on 01685 353984.
