Leeds has triumphantly secured over £700,000 in trailblazing funding to empower more than 500 economically inactive residents across the city, especially those with health conditions, into meaningful employment. This vibrant initiative, led by Leeds City Council, partners with seventeen local organisations like Aphasia Support and LATCH to deliver personalized coaching, vital skills training, and crucial mental health services, dramatically opening doors to work and fostering greater inclusion.
What is the £700k funding boost in Leeds for, and how will it support people into work?
Leeds has secured over £700,000 in funding to help more than 500 economically inactive residents find work. The initiative focuses on those with health conditions, providing personalised support, training, mental health services, and practical skills through local organisations, improving employment opportunities and inclusion.
New Funding Initiative to Tackle Economic Inactivity
A major financial commitment has been made towards helping economically inactive residents of Leeds take meaningful steps towards employment. Over £700,000 in new funding has been granted to a diverse array of local organisations with the aim of addressing employment barriers related to health conditions. This initiative, spearheaded by Leeds City Council’s employment and skills service, will enable personalised support for more than 500 residents across the city, especially those held back from the workforce due to long-term health issues or disabilities.
The Leeds City Council is administering the distribution of the funds, focusing not only on helping individuals find jobs but also on the broader context of skills training, health management, and overcoming potential obstacles to sustainable employment. The support is inclusive, targeting those with a range of health-related challenges, extending from mental health concerns to physical limitations, as well as learning disabilities and complex social needs.
This comprehensive approach is achieved through partnerships with seventeen voluntary, community, and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations. Community stakeholders, such as Aphasia Support and LATCH, have been among the successful applicants for this crucial funding. Each chosen organisation brings specialised expertise and bespoke interventions to the table, helping the programme align with the strategic priorities of local health and employment policy.
Targeted Support for a Diverse Range of Needs
One of the notable organisations benefiting from the funding is Aphasia Support, which delivers tailored assistance to individuals suffering from aphasia – a language disorder frequently resulting from stroke or brain injury. Through this grant, Aphasia Support will extend its services to 24 people, working intensively on improving their communication abilities. The charity’s approach focuses on helping service users regain confidence and move towards greater independence, whether in volunteering or paid work, thereby reducing the isolation often experienced by this group.
The LATCH project (Leeds Action to Create Homes) takes a different, yet equally impactful, route by combining housing and employment support. LATCH specialises in acquiring and refurbishing rundown properties, then using these environments as hands-on training grounds for young people who have experienced homelessness or struggle with health issues and social exclusion. As Ruth Frost, Fundraising and Communications Manager at LATCH, describes: “We will deliver hands on construction skills training on house renovations for people with health conditions and those who face significant barriers to work, as well as the soft skills needed to get back into work, timekeeping, teamwork and resilience.” Through a blend of practical and soft skills training, LATCH aims to offer immediate benefits – such as structure and day-to-day activity – while building long-term pathways into the employment market.
The organisations chosen for funding span diverse health and disability needs, ensuring that the programme’s reach is city-wide and inclusive. This approach allows for:
- Personalised coaching for people recovering from major illness or injury
- Skills development for individuals with learning disabilities
- Integrated mental health support alongside job readiness training
- Practical support for those who have experienced homelessness, including tailored construction trade training
Each intervention is designed with a holistic, supportive ethos, equipping people with both the confidence and the capacities needed to overcome barriers to employment.
The Trailblazer Programme and Strategic Partnerships
This new funding stream is part of the government’s broader trailblazer programme, a policy initiative that seeks to test and scale up innovative approaches to health and employment integration. In Leeds, the programme is delivered through collaboration among several cornerstone organisations: the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, NHS West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board, and the Healthy Working Life programme. These partnerships underpin the strategic focus on not just helping people into work, but doing so in a way that recognises the relationship between health, skills, and sustainable employment.
Councillor Jonathan Pryor, Leeds City Council’s Deputy Leader and Executive Member for Economy, Transport and Sustainable Development, expressed his support for the initiative, stating, “We work hard to help people across Leeds, from all areas and backgrounds, reach their full potential. We’re so pleased that with this funding, over 500 residents who are experiencing barriers to work will be supported to overcome these, which will benefit our city as whole.” His comments highlight the programme’s alignment with the city’s wider ambitions, including tackling poverty, promoting equality, and elevating the quality of life for all residents.
Strategically, the funding prioritises not just employment outcomes, but also the enrichment of social inclusion and community connectivity. The Healthy Working Life programme, in particular, is designed to create a more joined-up approach to health and work, focusing on practical, evidence-based interventions that lessen the risk of long-term unemployment or economic deprivation caused by health-related issues.
This initiative facilitates a robust system of referral and support, bridging gaps between health services, employment agencies, and community organisations. Through this integrated framework, more residents will be able to access the right support at the right time, whether they are recovering from illness, seeking new skills, or facing multiple barriers to participation in the workforce. More information about Leeds City Council’s employment and skills service can be found here.
Outcomes, Skills, and Future Opportunities
With the new funding in place, participating organisations will be able to scale up their impact and diversify the services they offer. LATCH, for instance, will be providing one-to-one coaching to help people who are furthest from the job market to regain structure and purpose in their daily lives. “The funding will also help us to deliver one-to-one coaching to people who have been homeless and are furthest from the labour market but need the support and encouragement to get a few steps closer with meaningful activity in their day, structure, improving mental and physical wellbeing,” Ruth Frost commented. The coaching will cover both essential job skills and broader wellbeing interventions, supporting individuals on their path to independence.
The support provided can be grouped into several key mobility-boosting components:
- Skills Development: Programmes offering vocational training, such as joinery, kitchen fitting, and tiling, alongside workplace behaviours like timekeeping, teamwork, and resilience.
- Integrated Health Support: This includes access to therapies or adjustments for those with mental health problems, musculoskeletal or cardiovascular conditions, and learning disabilities.
- Community Integration: Individuals receive help with social skills, confidence-building, and networking, increasing their self-efficacy and ability to maintain employment or volunteering roles.
This grant funding not only supports direct beneficiaries – such as the 24 individuals served by Aphasia Support or the participants in LATCH’s housing refurbishment schemes – but also strengthens community capacity across Leeds. By investing in integrated, person-centred support models, the city is striving to create lasting pathways out of economic inactivity, with outcomes geared towards both individual upliftment and broader social benefit.
For more details or to access support, the Leeds City Council offers comprehensive resources and contacts through its employment and skills portal, which can be accessed online at inclusivegrowthleeds.com.
- Leeds has secured over £700,000 in funding to help more than 500 economically inactive residents, particularly those with health conditions, find employment.
- The initiative is led by Leeds City Council and partners with seventeen local voluntary, community, and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations, including Aphasia Support and LATCH.
- These partnerships provide personalized coaching, skills training, and crucial mental health services to address employment barriers.
- Aphasia Support will help 24 individuals improve communication skills, while LATCH offers hands-on construction training for young people experiencing homelessness or health issues.
- This funding is part of the government’s trailblazer programme, delivered in collaboration with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, NHS West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board, and the Healthy Working Life programme.