Programmes for the Unemployed
The Skills Funding Agency is the organisation with primary responsibility for the planning and regulating of further education and skills provision for those aged 19 and over in England. As part of this, the Skills Funding Agency has responsibility for ensuring the delivery of appropriate skills provision to Jobcentre Plus customers, who are a priority customer group. This provision includes basic skills and job-related skills training including that developed in response to the economic downturn. It should be noted that 18 year old Jobcentre Plus customers are eligible to benefit from certain programmes.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) primarily contracts with providers to deliver provision to help unemployed Jobcentre Plus customers to prepare for and look for work as quickly as possible. This includes jobsearch support, as well as employability training, however does not normally include occupational or vocational skills training.
Through the delivery of an Integrated Employment and Skills Service, new joint working arrangements should help to ensure that the Skills Funding Agency and Jobcentre Plus offer complementary packages of flexible and responsive provision to meet the needs of Jobcentre Plus customers and employers in the local economy. Jobcentre Plus should be notified of provider and course details for all offers through joint management arrangements locally.
Jobcentre Plus front-line Advisers can directly refer customers with skills needs to the most appropriate local provision to address those needs. With the exception of mandatory New Deal customers, Jobcentre Plus Advisers should prioritise Skills Funding Agency funded skills provision in line with national agreements.
The aim of these pages is to act as a single source of information for organisations and individuals involved in managing, delivering and supporting Programmes for Unemployed.
The programmes currently offered under Programmes for the Unemployed include:
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Employability Skills Programme
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Response to Redundancy
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Six Month Offer
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YPG: Care First Careers (this provision is covered in the YPG: Routes into Work area below)
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YPG: Routes into Work
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YPG: Work Focused Training
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