South West Workways

A new £25million project which will lead the way in getting people across South West Wales back to work was launched yesterday.

The South West Workways project, part-funded with over £16 million from the Convergence European Social Fund through the Welsh Assembly Government, has been based on the successful Neath Port Talbot Transitional Employment Initiative (Workways) and examples of best practice across the region.

The project will help individuals to develop their own work focussed plans, provide a valuable mentoring service to assist their journey to employment, and will engage with local companies and organisations across the region to set up temporary job and volunteering opportunities to help ease individuals back into full time work.

Job related training during periods of temporary employment will be available through a variety of specialist providers.

Individuals can access Workways support through traditional agencies and also through 'Employment Gateways' which are being developed in communities throughout South West Wales.

Led by Neath Port Talbot Council with Carmarthenshire County Council, Pembrokeshire County Council and City and County of Swansea as joint sponsors, the project has set a target of engaging with over 9,000 people by 2012.

Local project teams which include skilled Mentors and Employer Liaison Officers are being set up in each county borough to ensure that individuals get the most appropriate support to assist in planning a return to work.

Leader of Neath Port Talbot Council, Cllr Ali Thomas, said, "This new initiative builds on the fantastic work that our Economic Development team did on a local level through the 'Workways' project."

"Thanks to funding from the Welsh Assembly Government, this new project now provides excellent opportunities for individuals across South West Wales who have up until now found it difficult to get back into work."

"The wealth of experience amongst partners in delivering projects throughout the region has shown that giving people temporary job opportunities enhances their chances of permanent employment."

Announcing the funding for the scheme Deputy First Minister, Ieuan Wyn-Jones said, "In these challenging times it is more important than ever to support economically inactive and long term unemployed individuals to enter the workforce. Using European funding we are able to directly improve the employment prospects for thousands of individuals, bringing increased prosperity not only for those individuals, but for their families and communities also."

Photograph: Pictured at the South West Workways Launch at Tornado Films based at Sandfields Young Business Centre is (front) Shaun who works for Tornado Films and benefited from the Neath Port Talbot Workways project with Deputy First Minister Ieuan Wyn Jones and Leader of Neath Port Talbot Council, Ali Thomas.