What is ‘Real Help for Business and People Now’ all about?
The unprecedented scale and speed of the economic downturn calls for equally unprecedented levels of support and action by the agencies tasked with helping businesses and individuals.
With a raft of recent funding announcements and initiatives designed to help individuals and firms to survive and thrive through turbulent times, it can become a complex picture of what’s available and how to access it.
The campaign also signposts the help available to employers and individuals to access training and development opportunities, apprenticeships and support those who have lost their jobs getting back into work.
Surviving the Economic Downturn
With the UK economy now officially in recession for the first time in nearly two decades, it’s easy to lose sight of the fact that some North East businesses are continuing to thrive despite the tough economic times.
The underlying strength and diversity of the North East economy - which now tops £40bn - means the region is better placed than in any other recession to emerge ready and able to seize the opportunities that will return as the global economy recovers.
We all have our part to play at this time - being realistic about the challenges the North East faces but also taking every opportunity to talk up our region and celebrate those people and businesses who make up the new North East economy.
Real help for the North East
In the North East, we are working with employers and our partners, including public sector agencies and training organisations, to offer comprehensive help to those who need it.
Real help for Business
There is a range of help available for businesses which may encounter difficult times during this downturn. Financial assistance, legal advice, guidance on how to save on costs and reduce energy consumption as well as an overall business health check are just some of the services on offer to businesses throughout the region.
For employers who are thinking of making people redundant, we have expanded our Rapid Response service, so that we can now provide help to their workforce before they actually leave their jobs. We are offering a package of support, designed to meet employers’ specific needs. This ranges from providing information, giving presentations to staff, setting up on-site jobs fairs and information centres, through to paying for skills and training analysis for the workforce and paying for extra training needed to help them find other jobs quickly.
In addition, we are working with employers, to encourage more of them to offer jobs to unemployed people as part of a Local Employment Partnership, and we have joined forces with recruitment agencies to give our customers access to more specialist jobs.
The main employer focused products and services are Train to Gain and Apprenticeships. Train to Gain service ensures that flexible, responsive training is delivered to meet employers’ needs through an independent brokerage service.
Real help for People
We also provide advice on finding a new job, help with writing CVs and filling in job applications, access to a wide range of vacancies, and skills advice, as well as financial assistance via benefits and help with rent and mortgages.
