Future Jobs Fund Hits 700 New Jobs

The majority of the 700 jobs have been created within the ten local authorities and are available at Job Centres
The Fund, a Government initiative as part of the Young Persons Guarantee, began in November 2009 to create 8,000 new jobs over the next two years to support long-term unemployed young people into work.
Councillor John Merry, Leader of Salford City Council, the accountable body for Future Jobs Fund in Manchester says:
“Greater Manchester submitted the biggest and boldest Future Jobs Fund bid in the Country, by combining the efforts of the ten Greater Manchester local authorities with other partners we have laid the foundations to make FJF in Manchester a programme which transform the opportunities for local people and makes a real difference to our communities.”
Mike Emmerich, Chief Executive of the Commission for the New Economy , who manage the Fund on behalf of AGMA says:
‘This is really positive news, we are well on the way to meeting our first target of creating 1,500 new jobs by the end of March. There has been a positive take up of the jobs and we now reached a significant milestone in getting 179 young people (18-24 year olds) in full time work, who otherwise would have been unemployed.
‘We are sure the Fund will give these young people the confidence, experience and skills they need to help them remain in employment. Manchester’s approach to the Fund is unique as the ten local authorities are working together to ensure the greatest benefit from this opportunity to the community and economy.’

CASE STUDY

Dionne Cassidy, from Salford has started the New Year with a new opportunity thanks to the Future Jobs Fund.
Dionne 21, is the 150th person to gain employment in Greater Manchester as part of the Fund and she has started a new full-time role as Administration Assistant for the Future Jobs Fund at the Commission for the New Economy, the organisation managing this £52 million Fund on behalf of the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities.
Dionne said: ‘The past nine months have been really miserable and frustrating. After leaving college with three science A’ levels, I successfully applied for and got a job, unfortunately, after a short period of time the company had to make cuts and I, like so many other young people, lost my job.
‘I was really devastated , and applied for as many jobs as I could. Sadly I was unsuccessful and the feedback I received on many occasions was that I was over qualified!
‘I was really excited to be invited for an interview for this job and could hardly believe it when I was offered the position.
‘Although, as with all of the Future Jobs Fund jobs it is only for a six month period, I feel that I have a real purpose. As part of the Fund I receive training each week to support me in getting my next job so I will have help in preparing a CV; interview skills etc.
‘This is a great opportunity, I have been made very welcome at the Commission for the New Economy and I am sure that this experience will help me get a great job in the future.’

Notes to Editors
For further information please contact:
Liz Reuben Head of Communications 0161 237 4179; 07525 392 369.

• Manchester’s Commission for the New Economy has been established to strategically co-ordinate the work in the field of economic development, employment and skills in the area of the ten AGMA Local Authorities (the Association for Greater Manchester Authorities, made up of the local authorities of Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford and Wigan).

• The Commission for the New Economy is one of seven such commissions created as part of the new governance arrangements for Greater Manchester recently ratified by its ten component authorities. Its operations are overseen by a private sector-majority board chaired by Mike Blackburn of BT, which includes most of the AGMA authority leaders. The others are health, public protection, planning and housing, transport, environment and improvement and efficiency.