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JobsPlus: Hope Blossoms in Stockton Estates
27 Dec, 2025
Summary
- Pilot scheme connects individuals directly with potential employers and offers financial aid.
- US-modelled project shows multi-generational positive impacts on earnings and employment.
- Key features include hyperlocal support, financial incentives, and community involvement.
Stockton's JobsPlus initiative, a pilot scheme inspired by a US model, is actively connecting residents with employment opportunities. The project provides direct financial aid and employs caseworkers who build relationships with job seekers and local employers.
This hyperlocal approach, which includes financial incentives and community champions, aims to overcome barriers to employment in areas like Stockton-on-Tees, which has experienced deindustrialization. The scheme has already helped individuals like Bryan Stokell secure full-time work and improved confidence for young job seekers.
Modeled on a US program that demonstrated multi-generational economic benefits, JobsPlus is being trialled across England with government backing. However, its future beyond March 2025 remains uncertain, pending further funding decisions.
