News22 January 2019

4,000 Londoners supported into employment through Love London Working

Love London Working is celebrating supporting 4,000 people into employment across the capital, with 3,000 BAME (Black and Minority Ethnic) Londoners securing work after participating in the voluntary employment programme.

Love London Working is open to anyone aged over 16 who lives in the capital and is not in work, formal training or enrolled in a mandatory employment programme.

Launched in 2016, the objective is to provide economically inactive Londoners with the support they need to join the labour market.

The programme caters to the needs of a wide variety of Londoners, from young people seeking their first full time role, to parents returning to the labour market after years as a full-time parent.

 Bespoke plan of support

The programme is delivered by a consortium of 13 housing associations, led by Clarion Futures, the charitable foundation of Clarion Housing Group.

Every individual who registers on the programme is paired with a specialist employment adviser employed by one of the housing associations and provided with a bespoke plan to support them into work.

Activity can include:

  • CV drafting
  • Interview practice
  • Assistance in searching for vacancies
  • Formal training.

The emphasis is not only to help people into work, but to sustain employment for the long-term, with support from advisers lasting up to six months after they start in their role.

Love London Working has been live since January 2016 and has now supported 4,000 people into employment.

  • 75% of all the people supported into work are BAME Londoners
  • 56% are women
  • 22% were previously unemployed for longer than 12 months.

The £13 million project is co-funded by the consortium housing associations and the European Social Fund (ESF). The project is managed by the GLA, which has responsibility for the management of all ESF programmes across London.

 Delivering positive change

Rajesh Agrawal, Deputy Mayor for Business, said:

"I am pleased to see Love London Working succeed in supporting so many Londoners into employment and that such a high proportion of those who have benefitted are from Black and Minority Ethnic backgrounds. This is a great example of the Mayor and the social housing sector working together to deliver positive change in our communities"

Phil Miles, Director of Clarion Futures, commented:

"It is a privilege for Clarion Futures to lead the delivery of Love London Working and we are particularly pleased to have supported Londoners from so many different backgrounds into employment."

"It is a powerful demonstration of what housing associations can achieve through the strong ties we have with our communities."

13 housing associations that deliver Love London Working

A2 Dominion

Catalyst Housing

Charlton Triangle

Clarion Futures (charitable foundation of Clarion Housing Group)

Hexagon Housing

Hyde Housing

London & Quadrant

Optivo

Orbit

Peabody

Poplar HARCA

Southern

Wandle