Helping to get Londoners into work

28th October 2008

Small third sector organisations that help Londoners improve their skills and job prospects now have the chance to benefit from assistance being offered by the London Development Agency (LDA) and the European Social Fund (ESF).

The capital’s community and voluntary groups may be eligible for the Community Grants programme if they can demonstrate an innovative approach to helping people who are out of work or disadvantaged learn new skills and get into the workforce.

Applications can be made to Greater London Enterprise (GLE) who is responsible for delivering Community Grants under ESF in London on behalf of the LDA.

The programme – worth over £5m - is jointly funded by the LDA and ESF and offers grants of up to £12,000 for each organisation.

Mayor of London Boris Johnson said:

"The Community Grants programme is a great example of how European and regional programmes can be combined to provide the kind of support the London Skills and Employment board has identified as crucial to getting Londoners furthest removed from the labour market into work.

“What's more, it does so by working in partnership with the kind of grass-roots voluntary organisations that are close enough to the community to make a real impact on people's lives; reaching the communities and neighbourhoods that the bigger programmes sometimes miss.”

Deputy Chief Executive of the London Development Agency Sarah Ebanja said:

“The LDA is committed to supporting businesses to grow and create jobs and developing the skills of Londoners. In partnership with ESF, we are helping smaller organisations reach out and give communities the support they need to fulfil their potential.”

This is the first of three Community Grants bidding rounds. A total of 450 projects will be funded between now and December 2010.

A prospectus, eligibility criteria and guidance on the application process are now available and can be downloaded at www.gle.co.uk/services/communitygrants.

A number of workshops will also be held so interested groups can learn more about Community Grants and the application process. Dates include:

· 30 October 2008 - 2.30pm-5pm
· 4 November 2008 - 10am-1pm

Workshops will be held at GLE’s offices. To register interest for these workshops, or find out more, please visit www.gle.co.uk/services/communitygrants.

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