Tackling Worklessness Nuala Geary, Head of Employment & Training

Tackling Worklessness

Nuala Geary, Head of Employment & Training

Peabody

• Housing Association charity with around 20,000 properties across London

• ‘Creating Opportunities For People In London Since 1862’

• Employment & Training• Volunteering• Youth Service• Supported Housing• Community Development

Why does it matter for RSLs & HAs?• Third of workless households live in social housing• Proportion of social tenant householders in paid employment fell from

47% to 32% 1981 to 2006• 80% of new housing association tenants aged 16-24 are without work• Well placed to play key role in tackling worklessness by promoting

opportunity, raising aspirations and addressing skills gaps• Can offer affordable decent settled homes providing a platform from which

people can build their lives and have long relationships, based on trust, with tenants, families and communities

• Many are providers of more specialist skills and employment related services and can directly assist tenants/residents to overcome personal barriers to work

Peabody Making a Difference

• Over ten years committed training and employability delivery

• Skills development & into work support programmes• Adults, NEETS, lone parents, BAME, ex offenders …• Supported 3,000 people into work since 1998• LSC, LDA, Big Lottery, ESF, Local Authorities• Linking Peabody interventions ie Lettings, Family Support,

Young People and Volunteering• Increased partnership working• G15

Why we began delivering SfL

Going forward with SfL and the wider worklessness agenda

• Embedded learning• Personal advisors• Holistic support

Is there any magic?

• Find the right hook• Find the right delivery partners• Find the right mentoring and retention support

And Finally

Nuala GearyHead of Employment & Trainingnuala.geary@peabody.org.uk020 7021 4470