The Department for Work and Pensions has released a report entitled ‘Mothers’ participation in paid work: the role of mini-jobs’. The report investigates the possible use of ‘mini-jobs’ – jobs where less than 15 hours a week are worked, to encourage more lone-parent mothers back into employment. The report concludes that mini-jobs could play an [...]

The Working Neighbourhoods Fund (WNF) was announced on 6 December as part of the provisional Local Government Finance Settlement. This Working Neighbourhoods Fund is a new dedicated fund for local councils and communities to develop more concentrated, concerted, community-led approaches to getting people in the most deprived areas of England back to work. It replaces [...]

  A career in the armed forces brings opportunities and risks unfamiliar in civilian life. This independent report assesses whether the information provided to potential recruits enables them to make an informed choice about enlistment. The report has been produced with financial assistance from the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust         

 This anti-racism Guide was created for workplaces (reps, members, workers etc) by the Northern TUC, to provide factual information in order to dispel many of the myths that racism and prejudice are predicated on.   http://www.tuc.org.uk/extras/hopenothateguide.pdf

  On 16 January 2008 the DCSF launched a “call for evidence” consultation to gather information, advice and views on the current youth sector support arrangements.   The call for evidence is open to all professionals, volunteers and organisations working with, or set up for the benefit of young people, including those working in local [...]

A pilot project to support children with mental health issues in 25 English local authorities (Luton, Norfolk, Suffolk, Leicester City, Lincolnshire, Hackney, Merton, Southwark, Gateshead, Northumberland, Sunderland, Blackburn & Darwen, Blackpool, Bury, Brighton & Hove, Kent, Reading, Leeds, North East Lincolnshire, Coventry, Shropshire, Wolverhampton, Gloucestershire, Swindon, Cornwall.) has been launched by the government. From April, [...]

The London Child Poverty Commission (LCPC) has drafted a guide for local authorities considering using their new style Local Area Agreement (LAA) to reduce child poverty locally. Four in ten children live in poverty in London. In Inner London, one in two children live in poverty. Measures to reduce child poverty have not had the [...]

Mediabox, the brand name for the Youth Media Fund, is successfully involving disadvantaged young people in media projects which help them gain a range of media related skills.  Projects also highlight the positive contribution young people make to their communities and help young people have a positive voice in the media.  In addition, the ’products‘ [...]

Is a funding initiative for young people who want to set up a voluntary project in their own community.  By providing grants of up to £2500, vcashpoint can help young people turn their ideas for voluntary projects into reality. Round 1 of vcashpoint attracted over 500 applications and saw young people from all walks of [...]

. With a waiting list of over 20 people, this conference picked up on an extremely timely subject and it was the successful delegates, predominantly made up of Local Authority officers in addition to many practitioners, artists, arts and youth organisations and agencies, who grasped the opportunity to hear directly from keynote speaker Margaret Hodge [...]