Case Study 2

European Structural Funds

London Development Agency
LDA/ESF Co-Financed Projects Case Study

The London Development Agency (LDA) is the Mayor's agency, responsible for driving London's sustainable economic growth. We work to deliver the Mayor's vision for London to be a sustainable world city with strong, long-term economic growth, social inclusion and active environmental improvement.

What's the Project all about?

GP Links provides the development of employability skills for disabled people and those with a health condition that has an effect on their ability to secure employment.  Additionally, beneficiaries can undertake basic skills qualifications in numeracy and literacy.  Beneficiaries with ESOL needs can also undertake ESOL training.

All of these elements are coupled with practical employment support that will assist beneficiaries throughout their working lives.

As part of on-going support, beneficiaries receive advice and guidance long after they leave the project.  This can take the form of guidance on work related matters, advocacy or general support with issues such as in-work benefits.

The project commenced in the autumn of 2006 and runs through to summer 2008. Beneficiaries supported are Incapacity Benefit Claimants who require targeted intervention to enter or re-enter the labour market.

GP Links

Mr S attended the GP Links programme after being unemployed for over a year. He was in receipt of Disability Living Allowance and his length of unemployment combined with his health condition and age had resulted in him feeling negative about his chances of making any progression towards the labour market. Mr S was unable to demonstrate any sign of committing to a sustained programme of employment support as he lacked confidence and felt unable to find employment. 1 to 1 sessions were incorporated within his activity and job search sessions in order to help Mr R overcome his employment barriers.

Once facilitators were able to build a strong rapport with Mr S it was clear that he required intervention to compliment the activities he was undertaking in order to enter the open labour market.  Mr S was concerned that he would struggle to achieve additional learning because of his age, but the facilitators contacted the Third Age Foundation and arranged for Mr S to progress onto an administration/IT programme.

Mr S has now successfully completed an office administration and information technology programme accredited by OCR Clait.  He is feeling confident that his newly developed skills, combined with his work experience and the continued employment support offered by the GP Links project will significantly increase his employment opportunities.

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Further Information: Getting Involved

If you are interested in European Structural Funds and would like to find out more on ESF or ERDF and the other European Funds visit www.go-london.gov.uk/europeanprogramme or call  

020 7217 3527
 
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