New employment and training advice service launched
A new service will help residents get access to training and employment opportunities when they seek housing advice.
An innovative new advice service that will help East Surrey residents get access to training and employment opportunities when they seek housing advice from their council was launched today (Friday 29 January 2009).
Reigate & Banstead Borough Council, Tandridge District Council, Mole Valley District Council, Epsom & Ewell Borough Council and Elmbridge Borough Council have joined together to provide East Surrey HELP (Housing & Employment Local Partnership), an enhanced housing options service for the local community.
This means that, as well getting advice on housing issues, anyone seen by their council’s Housing Options team will be offered support with entering training, learning or employment.
This will include better off at work calculations, assistance with job applications, interview techniques and work action plans, as well as financial management and benefit advice.
Holistic approach
Cllr Mike Miller, Executive Member for Planning, Transport & Housing at Reigate & Banstead Borough Council, said: “Currently people have to go to several different places to find the advice they need to make important decisions about their housing choices. East Surrey HELP will forge the link between housing advice and employment and training opportunities.
“Taking a more holistic approach to housing advice by tackling the wider causes of housing need, such as unemployment and skills limitations, and providing employment and training advice, will help people to feel better informed and able to make the best choice for their individual circumstances.”
Trailblazer
The partnership was awarded £240,000 to set up the scheme through the Government’s 'Enhanced Housing Options Trailblazer' programme, in recognition of their successful work in homelessness prevention and their choice-based lettings service. Each authority has also committed £10,000 of its own funds to the project.
The project is initially funded for two years and will operate from the councils’ own Housing Services departments.
The five authorities have teamed up with VT Enterprise Ltd, which already provides the Connexions Service across Surrey.
Skilled advisers
A team of three staff, skilled in providing employment and training advice, will work with the councils’ own Housing Options teams to deliver the service, which will accept referrals from the councils’ housing advisers as well as from Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) and supported housing providers.
Over the course of the next two years it is expected that the advisers’ skills and contacts will be transferred to Housing Options officers who can continue the project in partnership with RSLs, statutory and voluntary agencies.
Of the three HELP staff, there is one advisor covering Reigate & Banstead and Tandridge and another Elmbridge and Mole Valley. A coordinator will be based at Epsom & Ewell Borough Council’s offices.
Last updated : 04/02/2010
