Employment and skills specialist Working Links has today
announced it has been named preferred bidder to deliver a programme
to support families get back to work across the East Midlands.
The programme, funded through the European Social Fund, will
last two years and will see Working Links engaging with more than
10,000 people in Leicestershire, Rutland, Derbyshire,
Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire to tackle social
exclusion and poverty.
The award of the contract by the Department for Work and
Pensions will also see Working Links employing up to 40 new people
to deliver the programme.
The organisation plans to work with 18 partner organisations,
including nine from the voluntary sector, to help deliver the
programme.
Working Links has helped more than 22,000 people back to work in
the East Midlands over the last 11 years, and more than 220,000 in
total. Earlier this year, the organisation was awarded three
contracts to deliver the government’s flagship Work Programme
across Britain.
Breege Burke, Working Links Chief Executive, said: “We’re
delighted to have been chosen by the government to deliver this
important contract. The number of households where no-one has ever
worked is at a record high of 297,000 – that is a big problem but
one we’re committed to addressing as part of this programme.
“We have an excellent track record of delivering innovative
programmes to help people change their lives and we’ll be working
with dozens of partner organisations, including those from the
voluntary sector, to ensure this record continues.”