Member Article

Minister Visit Sunderland to get views

~~The Rt Hon Damian Green MP, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions met leading North East business and health representatives in Sunderland as part of a fact-finding mission on how to help people with disabilities into work.

Organised by the training provider Amacus Ltd and North East England Chamber of Commerce, the Minister heard views on the issues that might prevent companies being able to recruit disabled people and people with long term health conditions. He also set out the priorities in the recently published Work, Health and Disability Green Paper. The Government’s ambition is to increase the number of disabled people in employment and to halve the gap between the employment rate for the disabled and non-disabled population.

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Damian Green, said: “We are committed to improving the lives of disabled people across the country. Nobody should be trapped out of work because of a disability and we want work for all those who can.” “I was very encouraged to hear that businesses in the North East are actively supporting people with a physical disability or a mental health condition back to work.”

“Partnership between the government and businesses like these will be vital if we’re going to change the culture that locks too many disabled people out of work.”

Christine Hall, managing director, Amacus said: ’It is crucial that the right level of support, advice and guidance is available to unemployed members of society with a health condition or a disability, to assist them to take the first steps towards having the confidence to seek employment opportunities.

“Our ‘Leapfrog Jump Start Your Future’ programme is supporting Jobcentre Plus (JCP) customers by listening to their challenges, breaking down barriers, building their confidence and self-esteem levels, to help them move forward in their lives and prepare them for the world of work.

“There is plenty of evidence that employers and their businesses can really benefit from offering employment opportunities to disabled people or those with health conditions. By working collaboratively with individuals and support agencies, these benefits can be realised with positive outcomes for all.”

James Ramsbotham, Chamber chief executive said: “As a region we can only succeed if we are able to harness successfully all of the skills and abilities of as many people as possible. With an ageing workforce, we need to do everything in our power to ensure our employees are able to stay in work for as long as they want to, and to take up available opportunities no matter what mental or physical problems they have overcome. We all need a Working North East.”

Companies represented at the roundtable meeting included Sage, Berghaus, Nifco, Barclays, Liebherr Sunderland Works and Pentland Distribution. There were also members from Sunderland Council, NHS County Durham & Darlington Foundation Trust and two employees; Mandy Leitch and Jim Mallinson, both having benefited from support to secure employment.

Amacus’ trademarked Employability programme ‘Leapfrog- Jump Start Your Future’ which provides job seekers and Employment and Support Allowance customers with an intensive programme focusing on developing individual skills and attributes, provides a choice of further training in employability or self-employment. They work closely with key partners JCP and local support organisations. Over the last 15 months they have helped to secure over 250+ jobs including new business start-ups.

The company was selected to support JCP as part of a DWP national pilot for ‘entrenched worklessness’ and are proud of their work in supporting the unemployed to prepare for and move into work, including those with health barriers.

Amacus also manages on behalf of Sunderland City Council the North East Better Health At Work award and has established the Sunderland Workplace Health Alliance chaired by Ralph Saelzer MD of Liebherr. There are over 41 companies engaged with a reach of over 25,000 people receiving positive health messages as a result of health initiatives delivered in the workplace

Further information is available on http://www.train-develop-succeed.co.uk/

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Kay Wilson .