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New report reveals
A report from Croydon’s director of public health celebrates how Croydon’s community united to support each other throughout COVID-19 while highlighting how the pandemic has exacerbated inequalities in the borough.
In her first annual report since the COVID-19 outbreak, Rachel Flowers praises Croydon residents, communities, schools and businesses for their continued strength and determination, while making several recommendations for Croydon to bounce back as a fairer place.
The challenges faced in Croydon include significant job losses during the pandemic that have led to many now relying on state-funded benefits to support themselves. A proportion of residents were at increased risk of infection due to not being able to socially distance in their place of employment, such as those in frontline jobs in care homes, hospitals and other key roles. The financial difficulties at this time also led to an increase in children receiving free school meals, with more than a quarter of primary and secondary school pupils now eligible. Some communities faced additional barriers during the pandemic. More than 3,000 people are visually or hearing impaired in the borough and elements of the lockdown exacerbated the challenges some already face accessing services and information. However, the report highlights how Croydon’s multi-agency partnerships engaged with a wide range of stakeholders to support people in the borough and protect them from the virus. Croydon Council distributed more than 2,500 devices, such as laptops and tablets, to help pupils continue their learning from home. They also provided financial support to 4,144 households with food vouchers, emergency amenities, help to move home and other support. Rachel Flowers said: “Croydon, you are and were magnificent. My report aims to document the challenge that the start of a global pandemic brought, as well as showcase how communities came together in difficult and fast-emerging circumstances.”
Upskill your
workforce in 2022
Apprenticeships are an exciting option for employers.
Hiring an apprentice is an effective and productive way to grow talent and develop a motivated, qualified and skilled workforce while adapting the training according to the business needs.
Businesses can employ apprentices at various levels, from people wanting to further their careers or change career direction to school leavers and university graduates to develop a skilled workforce with the latest practical training that meets industry requirements.
As an employer, you can hire someone new or upskill an existing employee with funding from the Government to help pay for the apprenticeship training. Eligible employers in England could also apply for payment of £3,000 for apprentices with an extra £1,000 incentive for apprentices aged between 16 and 18 or under 25 with an Educational Health Care Plan. Lewisham College works closely with businesses of all sizes to enable employers to recruit apprentices and support the training of their staff. As one of London’s top colleges, the college has extensive experience supporting Apprenticeships and Employers with a wide range of London businesses and a free end-to-end support service. The college works with our network of business partners to set up opportunities for work experience, placements, guest speakers, industry visits, tours, and workshops. In addition, the college provides professional development training courses tailored to the individual requirements of businesses and used to train new staff, upskill existing employees or develop senior managers. Lewisham College is launching a new electrician technician apprenticeship programme starting in the new year designed to equip local residents with the necessary practical training and skills that meet the requirements of working within the sector.
To find out more about this new apprenticeship programme and learn how Lewisham College can support you to reduce the skills gap and boost your business productivity, visit www.lewisham.ac.uk/employers
Funding for creative projects set to boost footfall in Lewisham high streets
A catalogue of exciting cultural events is coming to Lewisham’s town centres, thanks to the Creative Happenings Grant which is funding 19 creative projects up to £10,000.
Kicking off in December and running until the end of February, Create Without Borders and the Migration Museum are among the many local creative organisations to benefit from the funding, which aims to attract visitors to town centres across Lewisham.
The grants scheme is being funded through the Creative Enterprise Zone (CEZ), a Mayor of London initiative which is focused on supporting local digital and creative sectors, both of which are key to Lewisham’s recovery from the economic impact of COVID-19. Creative Happenings supports local creatives including freelancers, who have been impacted by national and local COVID-19 restrictions, with projects commissioned in the current New Cross and Deptford CEZ as well as in emerging creative clusters in other parts of the borough including Catford, Lewisham Central, Brockley and Forest Hill. Embedding art and creativity into places that the whole community can enjoy will be a key theme when Lewisham celebrates its year as London Borough of Culture in 2022. The selected projects will showcase a wide breadth of work from local creative talents while improving placemaking in the borough’s town centres. Councillor Kim Powell, cabinet member for business and community wealth-building, said: “Our creative sector has been particularly hard hit by the pandemic, so I’m excited to see how the Creative Happenings grants will support those organisations that we know will be a big driver of economic growth here in Lewisham. As we begin to transition into recovery, I’m proud that we’re investing in our artists, makers and creatives with these grants. It’s especially pertinent as we look forward to our year as Borough of Culture in 2022, which is all about celebrating and supporting the incredible creativity we have within Lewisham. “What’s even better about this programme is it will also breathe new life into our town centres, making them more appealing places to be and attracting more visitors, which also benefits our independent retailers.”
