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This programme (www.seeda.co.uk/Work_in_the_Region/Development) was designed to tackle socio-economic issues in deprived communities and was run across North Kent between 2004 and 2007. The North Kent area is made up of Medway and the boroughs of Gravesham, Dartford and Swale.
The programme enabled groups to gain experience preparing and monitoring small to medium-scale projects, with successful projects going on to access larger funding sources or develop a sustainable social enterprise strategy.
The Area Investment Framework (AIF) programme managed and administered by Medway Council’s AIF unit supported projects across North Kent with approximately £3million-worth of capital and revenue funding. At the end of the programme, it had successfully attracted some £2.28million additional capital and revenue funding from other public, private and voluntary sector sources.
The AIF unit supported a range of initiatives, including:
- job creation;
- education and training;
- environmental improvement and recycling;
- community centres and capacity building initiatives;
- the disadvantaged;
- young and vulnerable individuals.
Some statistics
Of the 37 projects supported over its life time, 22 were long term projects funded over a two to three year period and 15 were contingency projects, requiring additional short-term funding support. Over 75 per cent of long-term projects are still operating or anticipate operating in to the foreseeable future, subject to extra funding and social enterprise initiatives being successful.
The AIF programme has resulted in:
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Type of outcome
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Black minority ethnic (BME)
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Total
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The creation and safeguarding of jobs
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17
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114.5
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The creation and attraction of new businesses (some sustained over 12 months)
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31
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The provision of help and support to businesses
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30
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487
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The provision of employment support
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21
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435
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Help for people from disadvantaged groups to access learning opportunities
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47
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2,133
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Help in developing skills
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51
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370
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The provision of ICT training
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30
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1,578
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The AIF programme’s success in Medway
Employment
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Jobsmatch is an outreach programme set up by the Economic Development team in Medway Council to help improve access to skills training and employment for residents of Medway. Jobsmatch Medway holds outreach and drop in sessions for clients on benefit who are disadvantaged in the labour market, where they can get services such as: - job matching;
- careers advice;
- CV preparation;
- job search;
- help with completing application forms;
- access to training;
- interview preparation;
- general employment advice and guidance.
The project has helped 200 people to get a job and is recognised as the local employers' choice for finding qualified and skilled workers.
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Neighbourhood renewal
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Medway Sustainable Communities project sought to help residents benefit from improvements to their neighbourhoods. It was based on participation to give communities full ownership of the projects created to tackle their needs. The project, set up and run with partners, implemented three action plans to improve the All Saints and Brook-Lines neighbourhoods in Chatham and the Twydall area in Gillingham. Other partners involved with the council were the Department for Communities and Local Government and the Diocese of Rochester.
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Youth development
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Kent Rural Youth targets the lack of opportunities for young people. It provides peer mentoring with young asylum seekers and unaccompanied minors and encourages the inclusion of young people with disabilities in mainstream youth and leisure activities. The project also looks at ways to improve transport for young people, especially in the rural areas of the Hoo Peninsula, upriver towards Cuxton and Halling and downriver as far as Lower Rainham.
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Skills development
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North Kent Construction Skills was established to reverse the decline in the number of students learning skills used in construction at a time when the regeneration of the area is creating opportunities for work. The project has succeeded in building better relations between the training providers and private sector developers and construction companies and this has enabled college apprentices to move smoothly into employment with the appropriate NVQ qualification. The project has enlisted five companies to provide employment support.
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Partners
Medway Council received support from private sector partners as well as the following:
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