Employment Commission

The Employment Commission was established to understand the nature of unemployment in Islington and what could be done to reduce it to the lowest possible level and to keep it there, while making employment meaningful and enjoyable for all.

The Commission brought together local employers, public services, the voluntary sector and residents to shine a bright light on employment and understand how we can work better together to bring about dramatic and long-lasting change. 

The findings of the commission were published in a report which set out our vision for employment in Islington, what needs to change and how we can get there, by working better together. Our ambition is to ensure that everyone is given the help that they need to get the job and career they want, deserve and that they will ultimately enjoy.

One year on 

November 2015 marked one year on since the launch of the Employment Commission’s findings, which found that good jobs with fair pay are the single best way that we can tackle inequality and create a fairer Islington. 

The report called for transformative change of the employment support system and over the past year the Council, employers and other partners have been working hard to lay the foundations for change and ensure that the system works better for local people. 

In the first year since the report we: 

• Provided the right support to get over 1,000 people into work 
• Brought together over 60 organisations to form an Employability Practitioners network to encourage partnership working and to drive up standards 
• Developed an Islington Charter for employability support – putting quality at the heart of our provision 
• Launched Islington Aspires – one place where employers can find out how to get involved locally and a showcase for the great work done by local employers
• Islington Council has recruited 27 local apprentices since the launch of the commission and become a Timewise accredited council for Flexible Working