Helping those outside of employment into sustainable work is one of the major challenges facing Wales. Some people have rarely, if ever, participated in the labour market and can be hard to reach through mainstream services.

A new £29m scheme has been set up to tackle these challenges and invest in organisations that are engaging with economically inactive people in former Objective 1 areas – now known as Convergence.

The Engagement Gateway is the name of the scheme, and it aims to move disadvantaged people into mainstream activity.

The Gateway is managed by WCVA and will offer contracts of less than £25,000 through to £150,000 to organisations providing services that result in individuals making progress towards employment.

This could be achieved through building skills and confidence, leading to a ‘next step’ which may include referrals to other projects, volunteering, training, supported employment or employment.

The Gateway will operate throughout the Convergence areas of Wales: Anglesey, Conwy, Denbighshire, Gwynedd, Blaenau Gwent, Bridgend, Caerphilly, Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Merthyr Tydfil, Neath Port Talbot, Pembrokeshire, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Swansea and Torfaen.

The scheme is not a grant fund. WCVA Director of Enterprise Phil Fiander explains: ‘Organisations that plan activities to help people progress from economic inactivity will have to tender to deliver outcomes. They will be paid an agreed fee, rather than apply for grant funding.

‘The Gateway will invite tenders for activities with specific groups of people or in specific areas of need.  But although the value and outcomes of the contracts will be defined, it will be for the organisations that are tendering to design the activities that best suit their client group. 

‘Organisations contracted by the Gateway to deliver services will need to be able to show that they have an in depth knowledge of their participants, experience of working with similar groups of people and links to local agencies and projects to which they will be able to refer people.’

A series of free events to launch the scheme will take place in January 2009. The events are designed to inform organisations about the scheme, the activities it can invest in, and how they can be involved.

The dates and locations of all the events are as follows:

• 12 January 2009 – Parkway Hotel, Cwmbran, 10.00am – 2.00pm

• 13 January 2009 – Halliwell Centre, Carmarthen, 10.00 – 2.00pm

• 19 January 2009 – Venue Cymru, Llandudno, 11.30am – 3.00pm

If you would like to attend any of the events please contact WCVA for information on bookings via gateway@wcva.org.uk or 029 2043 1700.

Places are limited and will be allocated on a first come first serve basis.

Click here to download an information sheet on the Gateway. Alternatively contact the WCVA Helpdesk to request a copy on 0800 2888 329 or help@wcva.org.uk.  

The Gateway is funded by the Welsh Assembly Government and European Structural Funds (European Social Funds).

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