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‘Most of industry's shutting down up here. . .’: Employability Initiatives to Tackle Worklessness in Areas of Low Labour Market Demand

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 June 2010

K. E. Joyce ,
K. E. Smith ,
C. Sullivan  and
C. Bambra
K. E. Joyce
Affiliation:
Department of Geography, Durham University Email: [email protected]
K. E. Smith
Affiliation:
School for Health, University of Bath
C. Sullivan
Affiliation:
County Durham and Darlington Primary Care Trusts, Durham
C. Bambra
Affiliation:
Department of Geography, Durham University
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Abstract

Employability initiatives are becoming increasingly popular in government discourse as a means of tackling worklessness. Here we discuss the findings of a small-scale, qualitative study which mapped the impacts of a multi-intervention programme on participants’ health, wellbeing and employability. Each of the 13 interventions was independently appraised through focus groups or semi-structured interviews. Thematic analyses revealed that participants from all interventions reported increased self-confidence, with several individuals suggesting that project involvement had facilitated their movement into the labour market. While the findings illustrate some positive outcomes, we argue that government policy needs to consider more carefully strategies that also address the demand side of the labour market.

Type
Articles
Information
Social Policy and Society , Volume 9 , Issue 3 , July 2010 , pp. 337 - 353
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2010

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