Danny Goodwin, Community Employment and Skills Officer, gave a presentation to the Committee updating them on the recent work of the Employment and Skills Area Partnership (ESAP). He highlighted the following points:

(a)  The ESAP is chaired by a ward councillor and provide a strategic response to developing activities at a local level. They aim to bring together professionals, support and develop partnership working to reduce service duplication, identify gaps and target support;

(b)  The unemployment rate across the city is 4.5%. The national average is 3.1%.

·  The Dales rate is 6.2% (713 citizens) this is 4^th highest rate across the city. Claimants over 50 is the 5^th highest in the city and the area has a BAMES working population of 42.7%

·  Mapperley rate is 4.2% (535 citizens) and is ranked 11^th highest in the city and is below the city average. The highest unemployment rates in the ward are around the Ransom Road and Wells Road estates.

·  St Ann’s rate is 5.2% (948 citizens). This is 7^th highest across the wards. 1 in 4 are over 50. The St Ann’s working population is one of the most diverse in the city with 50.4% from the BAME community

(c)  There are three priority groups that the ESAP want to focus on within the Dales, Mapperley and St Ann’s areas

·  Out of work people aged 18-24 and over 50

·  Out of work people who are part of the BAME community

·  Out of work people with a disability or health condition

(d)  The ESAP has identified 6 key objectives to work towards in the area. These are:

·  Raising awareness of support services to increase referrals from 18-24 and the over 50’s

·  Create more work experience opportunities for local residents

·  Provide a one stop shop for citizens to increase access to employment support and advice

·  Raise awareness of employment services with health professions

·  Focus on improving digital literacy for local residents

·  Signpost BAME community groups to local employment and skills services and increase outcomes

(e)  The ESAP has produced a Directory of services, which was circulated in the supplement agenda for this meeting. This directory details service available across the area, and residents are able to attend provision in wards other than the one they live in.

During discussion the following further information was highlighted.

(f)  The statistics refer to people claiming unemployment benefits. They do not capture the more transitory populations that are common in this area, and do not capture those people currently seeking work but not claiming unemployment benefits;

(g)  With the introduction of Universal credit the further breakdown of statistic will be lost as DWP are unable to provide the information. The committee agreed that a breakdown of the statistics into specific communities would be helpful for each ward and area where possible. Demographics of the people accessing programmes and drop in sessions are recorded and further breakdown and presentation of these will be circulated;

(h)  The statistics above do not consider self employed people as not in employment. It is specifically those people who are currently in receipt of unemployment benefits that are included;

(i)  There are courses and programmes for people with English as a second language. These focus on conversational English in order to boost employability;

(j)  There are a number of people who continue to access the drop in job clubs for a prolonged period of time. There are a number of reasons for this, mental or physical health may be preventing them from finding sustainable work opportunities, long term unemployment meaning that finding work is a wholesale change in lifestyle;

(k)  Some provision has seen a cut in funding and alternative funding has not been found. Work is closely coordinated with the Area Based Grant coordinator to offer provision in each of the wards within the area;

The committee noted the information provided in the presentation and thanked Danny Goodwin for his attendance.