Expansion of CfW+ in 2023

Jun 30, 2022

The Welsh Government will be funding the expansion of the Communities for Work Plus (CfW+) employability programme in April 2023, doubling its original £12m budget, to help bridge the gap that will be left with the closure of ESF funded employability programmes including Communities for Work (CfW) and Parents, Childcare and Employment (PaCE).

Announcing the Economy Minister, Vaughan Gething said:

“Despite the promise made by the UK Government that Wales would not be worse off from the UK leaving the EU, the reality is we are facing a loss of more than £1 billion in un-replaced funding. The Welsh Government cannot fill the massive hole the UK Government has created in the Welsh budget, which means we and our Welsh partners – who have previously benefited from EU funding – will need to take tough decisions on what to fund in future.

“This Welsh Government is determined to help people into and remain in good quality jobs. That’s why we’re taking action to fund a new Wales-wide programme to support people to do just that. By funding this expansion of Communities for Work + and focussing on people who are under-represented in the labour market and those who face disadvantage and inequity in accessing work, we will create a more equal Wales – a society that enables people to fulfil their potential no matter what their background or circumstances.”

The Welsh Government’s new Employability and Skills Plan, launched in March 2022, confirmed employability support will focus on those most disadvantaged in the labour market, and on improving labour market outcomes for disabled people, Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic people, women, young people, older workers over 50, carers and those with low skills.  The expanded CfW+ programme will align with ReAct + and Jobs Growth Wales +, to meet the Plan’s commitment of delivering a single operating model of Welsh Government employability support from 2023.

Further details on the programme will be announced in due course.

Read the full announcement via the Welsh Government website.