Fedcap Employment's restart programme will help jobseekers in the south

Employability charity Fedcap Employment is to deliver the government’s new programme to help people get back to work in Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Surrey, West Sussex and Hampshire.

Fedcap has been chosen by the department for work and pensions to deliver its new restart programme in the South Central area of England. Over the course of almost five years, Fedcap will support thousands of people in the area on their journeys towards employment.

Restart has been designed to support people who have been unemployed for between 12-18 months. Services will be tailored to the people participating in the programme, with Fedcap’s dedicated teams working closely with local employers.

The restart programme was announced last year by chancellor Rishi Sunak in response to the coronavirus pandemic and the resulting economic downturn. It will start on 28 June.

And recognising the impact of the pandemic, Fedcap will be offering a mix of face-to-face and virtual support for people looking to return to work. It has extended its opening hours, developed new digital solutions and is set to open up a suite of new offices across the region.

Fedcap Employment launched in 2019 and has supported more than 13,000 customers on their journey towards a better career. It currently delivers a range of funded employability programmes in the area.

Brian Bell, chief executive of Fedcap Employment, said this new programme will enable the charity to support even more people and inspire them to realise their full potential.

He said: “The covid pandemic has created so much uncertainty for so many people; of course the pandemic is first and foremost a health crisis, but for so many individuals and families it has also presented challenges around job security with the resulting difficulties around planning for the future.

“Our aim is to deliver this programme, with a wide range of partners that share our values, and help to offer work-related opportunities to people; to help them to plan and take advantage of jobs that will continue to be created as we come out of the pandemic.”

For more information on how Fedcap helps communities across Britain and join the team, visit www.fedcapemployment.org