Warwickshire County Council, as the lead authority for Warwickshire, is to receive funding of over £2.7m from the Government’s Community Renewal Fund to invest in skills and training
Warwickshire County Council, as the lead authority for Warwickshire, is to receive funding of over £2.7m from the Government’s Community Renewal Fund to invest in skills and training, to boost business growth and to support people into employment.
Earlier in the year the County Council, jointly with partners including the district and borough councils and the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP), assessed and approved, for submission to the Government a range of bids from the voluntary and community sector as well as private companies and public sector bodies seeking funding from the Community Renewal Fund.
Seven bids were submitted, and it is excellent news that three of these Warwickshire schemes have been successful. Over the next few weeks, we will be working with the successful organisations to ensure the projects can be successfully delivered before the deadline of the end of June 2022.
The successful projects will focus on:
- Supporting economically inactive and unemployed people into employment through cognitive and mindset training through mentoring with a strong focus on mental health and wellbeing;
- Assisting people into employment by providing training and support focused on self-employment skills; and
- Funding activity targeting hard to reach unemployed disadvantaged groups through break away camps, youth clubs, rural career workshops, employer focused SEND employment and e-sports for young gaming enthusiasts.
The government received more than 1,000 applications for the fund, with 225 projects being successful in England for funding worth £125.6m. Warwickshire’s performance in having three successful applicants and receiving £2.7m funding is particularly impressive as the county was not initially among the 100 priority places identified by the Government when it first invited submissions for the Community Renewal Fund.
Cllr Kam Kaur, portfolio holder for economy and place said:
“We are delighted that schemes in Warwickshire have been awarded this funding. It will be used to make a real difference increasing our skills so that we can be at the forefront of emerging markets.
“The benefits will be felt across many of our communities. For businesses, there will be an upsurge in skills and potential workforce in future growth sectors, unblocking the barrier to growth where there is not a suitably qualified workforce.
“And for residents, particularly young people and under-represented groups, it will open up opportunities for training that will greatly increase their employability.”