The Levelling Up White Paper
Elizabeth Taylor, Chief Executive, ERSA commented on the Levelling Up White Paper via FE News Sector Reaction!
“The employment support sector has prepared for this day, and it is a relief to finally see the White Paper. If Levelling Up is to be achieved, it must reach people in the most disadvantaged groups and communities.
We need to start seeing confirmed detail on funding allocated to PEOPLE. The employment support sector must be consulted to share our experience working with people to increase economic independence through good jobs and by acquiring skills to meet local labour market need. Levelling Up will not be achieved without adequately funded employment support provisions. European funding has been embedded in employability contracts, going back to the 1980s. It has always been able to reach people who weren’t actively involved in the labour market, for whatever reason, and it’s been able to respond to local skills and employment challenges.
“Employment support providers need clarity on funding and the next steps. This is becoming urgent, if allowed to drift, and we will start losing providers in the employment support community because we’re not getting to the point where shared prosperity is being commissioned. We are in danger of losing a wealth of experience and knowledge from the sector and weakening support for jobseekers when it is needed the most to upskill and match people to vacancies.“
Further information:
Read the full article via FE NEWS and more voices at fenews.co.uk/tag/levelling-up/
ERSA responds to government’s new initiative ‘Way to Work’ (28 January 2022)
Employability sector calls to ‘mind the gap’ over funding provision (9 December 2021)
New research project from ERSA, AELP and Shaw Trust on Employment and Skills (3 December 2021)
For further media information please contact:
Helen Wardle, Fivefold Ltd: 07757 355339 helen@fivefold.ltd
Elizabeth Taylor, Chief Executive of ERSA, is available for media interviews.
About ERSA:
The Employment Related Services Association (ERSA) is the representative body for the employment support sector.
ERSA’s membership spans the private, voluntary, and public sectors and ranges from large multi-nationals through to small specialist charities.
