Annual Report 2008

Creating Pathways to Work

With over 44,000 people of working age in the borough either unemployed or economically inactive, getting people into work is a top priority. Although our employment rate has increased by 10.4% to 63.5% since 2005, it is behind the London rate of 69.4%.

Developments to our town centres and transport links are making Hackney a more attractive place for business. Planning is underway for modern town centres in Dalston, Hackney Central and Hackney Wick. In November 2007, the London Overground network was launched through Hackney, as control of the North London Line transferred to Transport for London. With the arrival of the East London Line in 2010, residents will be able to commute more easily to jobs inside and outside the borough.

Last year, Hackney launched ‘Ways into Work’, a new service offering advice to residents who need to find work. The pilot employment scheme aims to get 600 residents into work. We are also offering more opportunities through apprenticeships and work placements within the Council itself and its public sector partners.

The 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games are bringing many opportunities for our residents. We are working with the Olympic Delivery Authority and our partners across the skills and training sector to ensure Hackney people are aware of the opportunities and have the right skills to compete for the jobs available.

Employment and skills were the main focus of the Get Set Hackney event in March. More than 1,000 residents registered their interest in jobs and over 200 residents registered their interest in volunteering. We are developing a new jobs brokerage to connect Hackney residents with job opportunities across a broad range of sectors, building on our brokerage experience with partners at Jobcentre Plus. This will be launched in mid-2008.

New investment 07/08:

• Young people: we have now recruited youth neighbourhood teams to help young people develop important skills for work.

08/09

• The Council is investing £3.3 million of City Strategy Pathfinder money to work with a range of social housing providers in the borough, targeting our employment initiatives at those most excluded from the labour market.
• We are working with the Olympic Delivery Authority and the London Development Agency to start a programme of training to equip Hackney people with the skills needed to access Olympic Park related projects.

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Page updated: 27 Jun 2008