social enterprise

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A scheme to help disabled people into sustainable employment must work harder to ensure support is sufficiently tailored, according to a new report.

The Workstep employment programme, funded by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), helps disabled people facing complex barriers.

But areas for improvement remain in its design and delivery, according to Ofsted.

Improving progression to sustainable unsupported employment identified Skills for Life provision within Workstep as a particular weakness, while revealing that participants who needed to improve literacy, numeracy and language skills did not always receive specific training or encouragement.

The programme – and the way it is interpreted by providers – limits ‘the success of working with certain potentially vulnerable groups’, such as school leavers or ex-armed forces, due to a lack of tailored provision.

But the report also praised ‘a marked change in culture’ from the first years of Workstep on the part of providers, who positively promoted participants’ skills ‘rather than promoting a deficit model in which the employer believed that it was doing the provider or the participant a favour’.

Those working very closely with employers to ensure participants are matched to their skill needs and locally available jobs were deemed by Ofsted to be most effective.

Oftsed gave a series of recommendations including the need to ensure development plans identified clear actions, and agreeing specific dates for progression with participants.

The survey follows research published by the National Skills Forum calling for ‘bold policy steps’ to expand the training, skills and education opportunities for disadvantaged or excluded groups, including those with disabilities.

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A community-owned shop in Worcestershire has won a national award at a ceremony at the House of Lords.

Feckenham Village Shop took the trophy in the ‘best village shop/post office’ category at the Countryside Alliance Awards – known as the ‘rural Oscars’.

After 20 years without a shop, a group of Feckenham volunteers with no previous retail experience bought, upgraded and opened their own.

More than £40,000 was raised in just seven months and hundreds of parishioners signed up as shareholders.

Countryside Alliance chief executive Simon Hart said the shop had brought the ‘feelgood factor’ to the community, adding: ‘This has rippled outwards and local schools and businesses are also benefiting from this shop’s support.’

The community is now planning the addition of a tearoom.

The shop was helped by the Village Core programme, managed by the Plunkett Foundation, in partnership with the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation and Co-operative and Community Finance.

The Plunkett Foundation supports rural communities in setting up and running community-owned rural shops with practical assistance, advisory support and financial start-up packages.

A record three community-owned shops were crowned regional winners at the event, with Blockley in Gloucestershire and Berrynarbor in Devon also recognised, while Lincolnshire’s Agricultural Chaplain, Revd Canon Alan Robson was crowned ‘rural hero’.

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A new multi-million pound project to ensure Welsh tourism benefits from current and future digital technology developments has been unveiled.

Heritage minister Alun Ffred Jones said the cash boost would keep the industry competitive by funding projects over the next four years in areas such as online marketing, booking systems and business management.

The scheme will also cover research, wireless and mobile technology and web content and be funded by the European Regional Development Fund, the Welsh Assembly Government and the private sector.

The project will be split into five streams including piloting innovative approaches and developing and exploiting the knowledge base.

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Volunteering and training charity CSV today confirmed the appointment of Sir Jon Shortridge as its new chair. An experienced public servant and leader, Sir Jon was permanent secretary in Wales for over nine years. He assumes the role as a volunteer and takes over from John Pulford who served as chair for more than 30 years and has become vice president.

William Pope will be the new chair of the East of England Development Agency (Eeda). He has extensive business experience managing companies operating in the low-carbon, environmental and manufacturing sectors. He replaces Richard Ellis, who has been in post for six-and-a-half years.

Pamela Warhurst has been appointed chair of the Forestry Commission. A former member of the board of Natural England, she chairs regeneration company Pennine Prospects and local food partnership Incredible Edible Todmorden.

Specialist housing charity Commonweal Housing has appointed its first chief executive, Ashley Horsey. Mr Horsey has more than 20 years’ experience in social housing, with former roles including chief executive of the Empty Homes Agency. Before joining Commonweal, he was commercial director at east London housing association Local Space.

The Aldridge Foundation has made Honor Wilson-Fletcher its first director. She was previously at the National Literacy Trust, where she was director of the 2008 National Year of Reading, and was awarded an MBE for services to education in last month’s New Year’s Honours list.

Walsall Regeneration Company has announced Brian Lowe as its new chair. Mr Lowe was instrumental in the establishment of Premier Business Park (Walsall) Ltd, a business-led urban regeneration scheme, for which he is now life president.

Robert Crawford, executive director for operations at South East England Development Agency, is the new chair of Invest Thames Gateway. Dr Crawford takes over from executive director Jeff Alexander. He has previously held senior positions with Scottish Enterprise, Ernst and Young and John Wood Group.

Barnet Council’s regeneration team has welcomed two new recruits. Tony Westbrook has joined as principal project manager with overall responsibility for the area’s housing regeneration schemes. He has previously worked for a number of UK developers and was part of the team behind the Westfield London project. Susan Botcherby is the new senior project manager. She has worked for a number of registered social landlords and housing associations in her career, most recently Home Group.

Ann Skippers has become president of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI). The current senior vice president, with more than 20 years’ experience in planning and planning education, she succeeds Martin Willey.

Cheshire and Warrington Economic Alliance – soon to become a new commission taking on a broader role – has made two appointments. Robert Davis, group chief executive officer of Chester’s EA Technology, has been announced as the new chair to oversee the transition, while Aidan Manley will be its first managing director. Mr Davis holds a number of roles including president of the Institute of Asset Management and chair of Northwest Development Agency’s North West Enterprise Forum. Mr Manley joins from St Helens Council where he is currently head of regeneration and has been involved in high-profile schemes including mixed use, city centre joint ventures and the delivery of the City Growth Strategy.

Morgan Parry is the next chair the Countryside Council for Wales. Mr Parry is a founder member and current chair of Cynnal Cymru, an independent, not-for-profit organisation promoting sustainable development and living. A member of the Climate Change Commission for Wales, he will succeed present chair John Lloyd Jones who retires at the end of the month.