Wolverhampton firms sign up to tackle unemployment
Two Wolverhampton businesses have been appointed to join a Black Country project aimed at tackling the city's high levels of unemployment.
Bilston Resource Centre and Gazebo Theatre will help deliver the City Deal 'Working Together' housing and prosperity project which is being led by housing provider Accord Group.
The £2.8 million, five-year pilot project, will target 2,800 unemployed residents across the Black Country. It also aims to get 900 people into employment.
The Wolverhampton businesses form part of the wider Black Country project, which sees eight partners in total supporting unemployed residents across the region.
These other partners include the Black Country Training Group, Dudley Metropolitan Borough Councils' adult community learning team, Ideal for All, Age UK, Black Country Housing Group and Walsall Adult Community College.
The partners will be working in Bilston East, Wolverhampton, Princes End in Sandwell, Darlaston South in Walsall and Kates Hill in Dudley to offer a range of support services.
Bilston Resource Centre, which provides adult learning and training courses, and Gazebo, one of Britain's leading educational theatre companies, will offer a range of support services to help people find job opportunities.
Bilston Resource Centre will deliver employer-led training, advice and guidance, pre-employment support and OCR accredited training.
Simon Bhardwaj, centre manager at Bilston Resource Centre, said it was great for the firm to be on board for such an important project.
"This is a great opportunity to bring together a strong local partnership to tackle the issues of high unemployment, low skills, and lack of opportunities for local people in Bilston East," he said.
Last month figures showed the number of people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance in the West Midlands fell by 12,600 in April to 763,000, the 30th consecutive reduction.
Jacki Lakin, City Deal project director, said: "Our delivery partners all have their own specialisms and their projects meet the gaps and needs of the areas we are working in we are excited to have a diverse range of providers offering innovation as part of the Working Together pilot."
