North of Tyne Working Homes is the first large scale employment support programme launched by the North of Tyne Combined Authority. It is an innovative partnership between housing providers housing associations, learning providers and local authorities, including:
- Bernicia Homes
- Karbon Homes
- Newcastle Futures Ltd
- North Tyneside Housing
- Northern Learning Trust
- Northumberland County Council Housing Services, and
- Your Homes Newcastle
The partnership is testing a new approach to supporting housing tenants to develop their skills and move into work. Through our close links with housing providers, we are well placed to work with tenants, and as part of a wider partnership we can deliver a range of support which is flexible and tailored to individual need. The breadth of the partnership means this can include formal and informal learning, skills development, job preparation, job brokerage and help to manage tenancies. Once people enter work, support from an employment coach will continue to help them stay in work and progress.
A key feature is the integration of employment support and tenancy management, using employment coaches and other support workers as part of housing management teams. As well as help to find work, tenants can build their resilience and gain the skills to maintain successful tenancies.
Services are delivered in locations that best meet tenant need, including a range of neighbourhood based Learning Hives across the area, providing on-site services within wider social community networks. They are familiar and easily accessible to local tenants as centres of on-site education and training and wider learning.
North of Tyne Working Homes is part funded by the European Social Fund as part of the England 2014 to 2020 European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme.