Scheme to help people back into work coming to Abergavenny

A former hairdressers in Abergavenny will be used as an employment agency to help get people back into work.

Project Restart is a Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) scheme, set up to help get people who have been unemployed for at least 12 months, back into work.

There will be a base for the scheme on Cross Street in Abergavenny, after Monmouthshire council gave the plans the go-ahead.

The contractor for the scheme across England and Wales is Serco, but the Abergavenny employment agency will be run by Itec Training Solutions.

The scheme will help those on Universal Credit find jobs in their local area. 

Individuals who will benefit from the scheme, will be able to get job-specific training, access to online job search engines, the ability to retrain and specific employment skills such as interview practice. 

The Abergavenny base on Cross Street will occupy the ground floor of a Grade II listed building. 

Itec have a four-year contract to provide the service and will hire four full-time members of staff.

There will be no internal or external changes to the Grade II listed building.

The Serco website says: “At the 2020 Spending Review, the chancellor allocated £2.9 billion for the new Restart scheme, which will give Universal Credit claimants who have been out of work for between 12 to 18 months enhanced support to find jobs. 

“The Restart scheme will break down employment barriers that could be holding them back from finding work. 

“Providers will work with employers, local government and other partners to deliver tailored support for individuals.”

The scheme will provide up to 12 months of tailored support for each participant.