PROJECT PAYS OFF AS NUMBER OF JOBLESS FALLS IN KINGSWAY WEST

1.14.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 7th Sep 2009

A concerted effort by a multi agency team in one of York's most deprived neighbourhoods is paying off as the number of people out of work in the Kingsway West area of York has fallen for the first time this year.

The number of people claiming Jobseekers Allowance fell from 76 in June to 71 in July against a backdrop of a rise in claimants in the city overall.

The fall follows months of hard work by partners in the Kingsway West Area Action Project which was set up to tackle deprivation in the area which, according to government statistics is in the worst 10% for deprivation nationwide.

Let by City of York Council the project, in the most deprived Ward in the City of York, involves a range of other agencies working in partnership including Future Prospects, the NHS, North Yorkshire Police, York Young People's Services and the Citizens Advice Bureau.

The project aims to help residents find work and training opportunities and provides information and advice on a range of issues.

In the first six months of 2009 the project helped residents by ensuring they were claiming the full benefits they were entitled to, boosting the income of local residents by a total of £16,000.

The Westfield Ward has also seen a fall in the number of young people not in education, employment or training (NEET), falling from 49 in December 2008 to 41 in July 2009.

The Kingsway West Area Action project is a pilot scheme which will be rolled out to tackle other areas with high deprivation levels in the future.

Chair of the Kingsway West Area Action Project, Councillor Sue Galloway said, "This fall in the number of people claiming Jobseekers Allowance is a very welcome one. Clearly there are a number of factors that influence the unemployment figures but the Kingsway West Area Action Project is definitely having a big impact on the area."

"The project shows the difference that can be made to people's lives when agencies work closely together to provide an area with coordinated and targeted support."

"There is still a long way to go with this project but the work so far has been a tremendous success."