Council supports journeys to employment
Winchester City Council is helping job-seekers and young people on their journey to employment with a package of support aimed at getting people into work and training.
The Council’s Access to Work Grants for Job-Seekers are designed to remove some of the most common barriers which might prevent the job-seeker from taking on their role. The one-off grants can be used for the costs of transport to the workplace as well as essential equipment such as tools or work clothes. The grant can only be used for items that are not usually provided by an employer.
The Council’s apprentice scheme allocates grants to apprentices to cover some basic costs which might otherwise be difficult to finance. These range from a simple set of work clothes to the cost of travel to the work place or training venue each week.
Applicants for both schemes must live within the Winchester District and the grant can potentially be used for any cost to the employee or apprentice they cannot fund elsewhere. A full set of conditions and guidelines can be found at www.winchester.gov.uk/business/business-grants
The Wheels to Work scheme loans out mopeds at low cost helping primarily young people to access work and vocational training. Mopeds can be hired from three to 12 months.
Robert has used the scheme to get to his job at Winnall in Winchester. He said:
The Wheels to Work moped loan scheme has allowed me to get to places I would not have been able to travel to before. I live in South Wonston and getting to Winnall at the right time was not possible by public transport, as I work shifts and weekends. I would have had to decline the job if I couldn’t get myself there.
Winchester District enjoys a low unemployment rate of only 0.5%; however the Council recognises for each person in that small proportion, unemployment can be a major issue.
Cllr James Byrnes, Portfolio Holder for the Local Economy at Winchester City Council, added:
These grants, combined with our employment mentoring service which uses mentors to help unemployed people into work, is part of a whole package of support Winchester City Council is offering job-seekers and young people. We know public transport, especially in the rural parts of the District, does not cater for every need, so the Wheels to Work scheme is another way of helping people to access jobs and training.
To find out more about grants visit www.winchester.gov.uk/business/business-grants or visit www.cfnf.org.uk/wheels-to-work