Job finder coalition added to portfolio

Oct 6 2009 by Karen Dent, The Journal

A PUBLICLY-RUN organisation set up to help unemployed people to find work has been taken over by the group that provides the North East's Business Link service.

Business & Enterprise North East (BE-NE) has added the North East Employer Coalition (NEEC) to its support services portfolio, which already which includes the Regional International Trade Office.

The six staff employed by NEEC – which works with employers to find long-term jobs for unemployed people and those struggling to find employment because of health problems or disability – will move over to BE-NE’s offices in Seaham.

NEEC is one of 10 Government-run regional employer coalitions that are being devolved to local control by the Department for Work and Pensions.

NEEC executive director, Howard Forrest, said: “They made the decision that it was more appropriate for them to become more localised and embedded.

“In terms of the work we do, it’s a bonus. This will give us more opportunities. They [BE-NE] contact a large number of SMEs and we are an employer-focused organisation. It will give us greater access to employers.”

NEEC will also carry on working to tackle employment and boost jobseekers’ skills by working with employers and in partnership with Jobcentre Plus, the Learning and Skills Council, One North East and Government Office North East.

Alastair MacColl, chief executive of BE-NE, said: “The addition of the North East Employer Coalition to our portfolio reinforces our commitment to enhancing business support in the region through a comprehensive and integrated range of services.

“It is more important than ever that we maximise people’s employment prospects and reach out to provide effective solutions to assist communities that have been adversely affected by unemployment.”

BE-NE, which is funded by One North East, the Learning and Skills Council and UK Trade & Investment (UKTI), also receives money from the European Regional Development Fund.

It runs the North East England Investment Centre, operates the Regional International Trade Office on behalf of UKTI and also runs North East England Service Provider Register.