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Press release: Public and voluntary sectors in North West pledge to work together
5 November 2009
Senior figures from the public and voluntary sectors in the North West today (Thurs 5 November) signed a partnership agreement which will guarantee closer working during the economic downturn and beyond.
The North West Regional Compact, launched at the offices of Voluntary Sector North West in Manchester, enshrines a commitment by both sides to work together for the benefit of local communities.
The two sides have already joined forces to work on the Future Jobs Fund, an employment initiative which is expected to create more than 11,000 jobs in the region, many of them in the voluntary and community sector.
The first people to benefit from Future Jobs Fund in the region started work last week at Fusion 21, a social enterprise supporting the work of housing associations in the Liverpool City Region.
Liz Meek, Regional Director of Government Office for the North West, said: “The Future Jobs Fund is a great example of how the public and voluntary and community sectors can work together for the benefit of the people of the North West. In these challenging times that sort of close cooperation is more important than ever.
“The importance of the voluntary and community sector to public services, to local communities and to wellbeing is absolutely central to the Government’s agenda. I’m determined that we in Government Office will play a full part here in the region.”
Today’s launch was attended by a number of senior figures from both the public and voluntary and community sectors. They include the chief executives of the Northwest Regional Development Agency (Steven Broomhead), Voluntary Sector North West (Richard Caulfield), 4NW (Phil Robinson), One North West (Paul Harris), NHS North West (Mike Farrar), and Social Enterprise North West (Val Jones).
Richard Caulfield said: “Voluntary Sector North West is delighted to have a compact that will help us build on the positive relationship between partners at a time when all sectors need to come together to support individuals and organisations adversely affected by the recession.
“The voluntary sector has a key role to play in helping the region develop sustainable solutions for our people and our communities. The Future Jobs Fund is just one piece of evidence that a thriving voluntary sector is vital to the social and economic wellbeing of the people of the region.”
Click here to read a briefing from GONW on the Regional Compact
Notes to Editors
1. The Regional Compact supports the National Compact which the Government published in 1998 and local compacts which already exist or are being developed. It is not designed to supersede local arrangements and compacts but is a partnership agreement between regional organisations. Organisations that have committed to the Regional Compact include Northwest Regional Development Agency, Voluntary Sector North West, North West Network, 4NW, One North West, NHS North West, the Learning and Skills Council, Job Centre Plus and Social Enterprise North West.
2. The Future Jobs Fund was announced in the 2009 Budget and is run by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) in partnership with the Department for Communities and Local Government (CLG) and with input from Jobcentre Plus. The Fund aims to create 150,000 additional jobs, primarily aimed at 18-24 year olds who have been out of work for nearly a year to deliver real benefits to communities. The Future Jobs Fund is a part of the Young Person’s Guarantee. From early 2010, everyone in between the ages of 18 and 24 who has been looking for work for a year will get an offer of a job, work experience, or training lasting at least six months. The fund targets unemployment hotspots and expects around 10,000 of the 150,000 jobs created to be green jobs.
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