PARTNERSHIPS –UK

1. We are a member of a 9 organisation partnership limited company called Skills and Development alliance, led by Skills and Development Agency which is delivering this year’s SFA Employer Led Provision, apprenticeships, adult basic skills and vocational training for unemployed people – with a contract value of over £4 million. The consortium has premises across East, North East, North, Central and South East London and a wide range of expertise in delivering training in many different subjects and sectors.

We are always interested in discussing with other CVS organisations providing specialist training across London ways in which they may join us in future provision through tendering as a consortium for future ESF contracts, and for new contracts with the SFA and other government, London regional and borough departments.

2. We are both the lead body and members of formal consortia Equality Employment Direct Ltd incorporated as a Special Purpose Vehicle with 13 members, including other larger organisations such as Remploy in applying for funding to provide employment support services, with a combined turn over of £40 million. We are currently negotiating with Primes to provide consortia delivery of employment and training support pan London, plus members are active in applying for local delivery contracts and are happy to talk to other CVS organisations with localised or specialist support abilities.

3. We run a partnership employment site www.equalityrecruitment.co.uk which ensures that all employers vacancies reaches all equality groups covered by government legislation, as our partners are all actively involved in providing specialist employment support to women and men with different ethnicities, faiths, sexualities from all age groups. This means it is the only site able to meet all the equal opportunities employment requirements for employers with one single advert. We are actively looking for partners – particularly from out side of London to join us for free so that all clients who register an interest which meets your eligibility and geographic requirements will automatically have their details (within the DPA) sent to you – so it is a FREE opportunity for you to recruit more clients. Currently our partners include: Action for the Blind, DP consulting, Pace, Job Centre Plus, Rathbone, Remploy, Royal London Society for the Blind, Shaw Trust, The National Autistic Society, Irish traveller movement in Britain, Black Women's Health and Family Support, The Diversity Group

4. We also regularly look to apply for contract relating to audits and research into employment, diversity and age issues, promoting the benefits of equality and diversity to employers and in providing specialist consultancy support and capacity building services to SMEs and CVS organisations and frequently do so with academic and other specialist partners.

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