SOMERSET County Council is to continue its partnership with Jobcentre Plus to help people who are long-term unemployed get back into work.

More than 100 such people have already found work with Somerset County Council following the launch of a Local Employment Partnership between the authority and Jobcentre Plus in February 2008.

A new agreement has been signed committing the two organisations for a second year to further support unemployed people in Somerset.

Under the partnership scheme managers from Somerset County Council and Jobcentre Plus work together to help disadvantaged and long term unemployed people find work. The scheme supports single parents, people with health issues and the disabled, to find jobs and gain work experience within the authority.

Work trial places will be provided by Somerset County Council to help people who have been out of work get the relevant experience they need to apply for permanent posts.

Training and mentoring schemes have also been put in place to help job applicants find employment in a range of jobs across the authority, from schools to administration posts.

Cllr Alvin Horsall, Somerset County Council’s portfolio holder for economic development said: “Somerset County Council is committed to supporting the long term unemployed find work and to help regenerate local communities during these difficult economic times.”

Dorset & Somerset Jobcentre Plus District Manager Tim Taylor-Blake said: “The commitment Somerset County Council and Jobcentre Plus have made is really good news for unemployed people across Somerset especially in the current economic climate, and demonstrates how close partnership working can bring real benefits to people in the community.”