FUTURE JOBS FUND

The Future Jobs Fund is a major new initiative which will operate across the UK. It is designed to create 15,000 jobs across Scotland between October 2009 and April 2011.The 18 month initiative is focused on young people aged 18-24 who have been on Job Seekers Allowance but it will also support some long-term unemployed people who have barriers to employment or live in areas with high concentrations of unemployment.

West Lothian Council will submit a range of proposals to the Future Jobs Fund. If you would like more information, please contact Sandra Darling - 01506 777944 or email: sandra.darling@westlothian.gov.uk

First Issue of the IPPR Youth Tracker published

The Institute of Public Policy and Research (ippr), in conjunction with the Private Equity Foundation, has today published the first issue of the Youth Tracker – a new quarterly newsletter looking at how Britain’s young people are faring in the recession, and what we can do to support them.

The Tracker features articles, interviews and comment pieces addressing the impact of the recession on young people and the organisations working with them, with a particular focus on young people not in employment, education or training (‘NEET’). It also provides a digest of recent research and statistics which will be of interest to organisations working with disadvantaged young people.

The Tracker is available for download, just click here and then click 'download without registration'.

National Youth Work training seminar to take place

This one day seminar will provide an opportunity for the Youth Work sector to engage in a national discussion on workforce development with key stakeholders and to share practical knowledge on youth work training routes.

More information to follow soon.
Contact: Timothy Frew, phone: 0131 313 2488 [ e-mail ]

Latest unemployment and jobcentre vacancies released

The latest unemployment and Jobcentre vacancy figures are out today for West Lothian (Job Seekers Allowance (JSA) based figures).

• The number of JSA jobless in West Lothian for May is 4,542. This is an increase of 12 on the April 2009 figure, and is the highest total for West Lothian since September 1996.
• West Lothian's unemployment rate of 4.3% is higher than both the Scottish (3.9%) and Great Britain (4.1%) rates, and is higher than at any time since February 1997. West Lothian's unemployment rate is the same as South Lanarkshire and Renfrewshire.
• There were 805 notified Jobcentre vacancies in May - a net increase from April 2009 of 19 vacancies.
• Similar to last month, there are approximately 6 jobseekers for every vacancy advertised in West Lothian jobcentres. In comparison, Scotland's ratio is 5.3:1, Great Britain is 5.5:1 with Inverclyde having the highest ratio of 11.6:1 (12 jobseekers for every vacancy) of claimants to vacancies of Scottish local authorities (see attached excel sheet).

JSA based unemployment figures do not provide the full picture. However, the headline JSA figure does help to indicate the latest trend or change at a national or local level and whether the economic down turn is beginning to bite. The Government's favoured method of measuring unemployment - the ILO method does not readily translate into up-to-date local area estimates.
The Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) is payable to people under pensionable age who are available for, and actively seeking, work.

New report on gender equality

Report on equality between women and men 2009
Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, Luxembourg

Published: 2009
Pages: 72

Reports on progress in the field of gender equality, highlighting existing gender gaps in employment, education, segregation in occupations and sectors, management, and politics. Reviews policy and legislative developments, focusing on improving work-life balance, family-related leave, and equal treatment and equal pay.

Read the report