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Westminster's £1m plan to get 3,000 back to work
Katharine Barney, Evening Standard28.11.08
A LONDON council announced today that it will invest more than £1million to help almost 3,000 people to find jobs.
Called Westminster Works, Westminster Council will meet thousands of job seekers to help them get access to training and long-term employment.
The scheme will involve the council working with local employers to generate opportunities such as six-month job placements, two-week job trials and CV and interview workshops.
At an economic recovery summit last night council leader Colin Barrow said: "The months ahead will be tough for many people in the heart of London but we are committed to doing all we can to help thousands of residents to access training and find employment. Westminster is predicted to be harder hit in terms of unemployment than elsewhere in the capital but these schemes will make a real difference helping people find work.
"Doing nothing is not an option. We recognise that we have to be proactive in our attempts to protect residents, small businesses, voluntary organisations and the wider economy from the potentially devastating impact of recession."
Last month, the council announced a 17-point city recovery programme to protect residents and small business during the downturn.
Reader views (2)
If you live in Westminster and you are unemployed how much will you need to earn to compensate for the tax payer funded benefits you can claim. As a working resident of Westminster I know how expensive rent/ property is here. I am pretty sure I’d be better off on benefits but it is only my pride and self worth that makes me get out of bed and go to work everyday.
How are Westminster council going to change the attitude of those that don’t get out of bed? Spend more money on them as they plan or spend less. My vote would be to spend less on them and start removing their benefits to encourage them to support themselves.
Those that can not support them selves do not need to live in one of the most expensive areas in the whole of the World. They need to move somewhere a little more affordable.
- Ben, London, W1
Let's face it - if there wasn't the cosy world of permanent benefits to fall back on people would find a job. Something. Anything. In Canada, one year's unemployment benefit is all you get. In the States they have something similar. People get off their keesters and support themselves. That's what we're on this earth for after all. A waste of Westminster rate payers' money!
- Hu Park, toronto
