ERSA PRESS RELEASE
ERSA announces launch of Disability Employment Forum
The Employment Related Services Association (ERSA) has announced that it is setting up a forum for its membership dedicated to disability employment issues.
Kirsty McHugh, ERSA Chief Executive said:
“The next 12 months are likely to be a crucial time in the development of government policy in relation to disability employment services. The size and importance of this agenda makes it imperative that ERSA has an informed and credible voice which is able to influence the development of government policy and in turn helps its members deliver the best possible services to customers with disabilities.”
The first meeting will take place from 11am -1pm on Wednesday 31 October at a central London location. Membership of the Disability Employment forum is open to all ERSA full and associate members. To register your interest in joining, or if you would like to input into the work that you think the forum should focus on it its first year, please contact Philip.curry@ersa.org.uk on 020 7960 6317.
ERSA members are invited to input into the scope of the forum. The proposed purpose of the Forum is to:
- Lead the development of ERSA policy in relation to all aspects of disability employment services, including recommendations relating to current and future disability employment provision.
- To lead work on specific sub groups within the wider disability employment agenda, including issues around mental health.
- To explore and develop policy linkages between the government’s policy on disability employment services and other areas of public policy, including the welfare reform agenda.
- To ensure that overall market stewardship is such that members are able to deliver high quality services to jobseekers.
- To provide a forum for best practice sharing on disability employment support, linking through to the professionalisation agenda led by the Institute of Employability Professionals.
ends
Press enquiries should be directed to Philip Curry on 07919 622 053.
Notes to Editors
The Employment Related Services Association (ERSA) is the trade association for the welfare to work industry. Established in 2005, for the industry by the industry, it exists to help its members achieve their shared goal: to help people achieve and sustain employment.
- ERSA’s membership is as diverse as the welfare to work industry itself. Its members deliver a wide range of government-commissioned welfare to work programmes, including the Work Programme, Work Choice, Mandatory Work Activity and ESF Families, plus other employment-related services.
- It represents 95 percent of Work Programme and Work Choice prime contractors, plus a larger number of subcontractors. ERSA’s members are drawn almost equally from the private and voluntary sectors, with a small number of public sector organisations also in membership. It is the diversity of its membership that gives ERSA its strength to speak as the authoritative voice of the sector.
