Local Impact
For us to deliver our Social Value (Social Mobility Employment Programme) we have engaged with a number of Local Employment Groups (LEGs) across the Yorkshire and Humber region in the last few years. Most have identified themselves to us through our EN:Able Community Investment Fund and we’ve taken the conversations to the next stage to develop their projects into something that fits our criteria. Some we’ve actively looked for in strategic areas where our members have stock situated in the area.
Through a member consultation process, we have identified a set of ‘priority groups’, namely:
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Long Term Unemployed (6 months +)
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Not in Education Employment or Training (NEET) (16-24 4 weeks+)
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Ex-offender
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Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME)
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Non-Traditional Gender roles (e.g. Females in to Construction)
Our procurement framework generated positions are initially ring-fenced to individuals who fall within one, or more, of these groups to help give them the opportunities to access sustainable apprenticeship positions. 1 apprenticeship year is generated for every £500,000 worth of works procured through the majority of our frameworks (contractor installer), for our New Build and Materials Frameworks, this is 1 per £1m.
The LEGs we work closely with also support individuals from our priority groups into employed positions, these are classed as our Non-Framework roles, as they could be in any industry.
For the work that they do, we offer grant payments to help support their activities in getting people ready for the world of work; bearing in mind that some of these individuals have been out of work or have never worked in their lives. They help to build their confidence, by developing programmes tailored to cater for their individual needs. They support them with CV writing, interview skills and structuring their job searches to roles that they are suited to.
Since we began this programme (2016/17 financial year), we have invested over £400,000 (to March 2018) in these LEGs, with a further £195,000 ringfenced for our activities in this financial year (2018/19).
Read HACT's report on the Social Return on Investment we achieved in 2016-2017 HERE.