The City Strategy Pathfinder (CSP) is a strategy that was introduced to reduce unemployment and child poverty. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) introduced the CSP in London to enhance people to reduce child poverty and improve the rate of unemployment. The vision of the CSP is reduction and prevention of joblessness and child poverty.
Several strategies have been introduced to increase the rate of employment by creating effective service delivery programmes which are publicly funded as well as involving employers for the advantage of the local people. This would increase the income levels of the people and this will reduce the rate of child poverty. The report provides a proposal for reducing unemployment and child poverty (Greenwich et al 2007).
To increase the rate of employment, the CSP has introduced several objectives. Firstly, the programme was created to ensure that services are open and can be accessed to all the jobless people and their families.
Secondly, the programme has the objective of introducing flexible services that match the needs of each individual. The CSP also aims at providing efficient services that are of high quality by co-coordinating and planning strategically. Lastly, the programme ensures that an efficient management information system is introduced to ensure the performance of the CSP is achieved (Greenwich et al 2007).
The CSP will focus on improving the quality of work done by local authorities. This will be achieved by establishing strategic partnerships with local authorities. These partnerships will help improve the health, housing standards and environment in which people live.
These are some of the major factors that are associated with joblessness. Proposals for implementing the CSP have been introduced to ensure that the CSP and other associated programmes reinforce each other (Greenwich et al 2007).
The rate of child poverty has been found to be high in the capital than in other parts of the country. It is discouraging to note that the low rate of child poverty has not reduced since 2000. This requires urgent need to eradicate the problem by introducing several policies.
The government has introduced some changes to reduce the rate of child poverty in the country. Specific targets for 2010 and 2012 have been put to ensure that the government achieves the targets (Greenwich et al 2007).
Several recommendations have been established to improve the welfare of the parents and children. These recommendations focus on provision of jobs to parents, for example the introduction of Jobcentre Plus’ activities.
The recommendations require the government to be consistent in offering parents with opportunities. Sustainable work for the parent has been identified as a major factor in reducing the child poverty levels (Greenwich et al 2007).
The implementation timetable for the programme runs from 2007 and the main aim is to create a clear path for accomplishing the goals of the programme. The initial stage involves designing and refining the programme.
The second phase is concerned with testing the programme and then the implementation. Evaluation is the last phase of the programme. Various work streams have been established and these run from the beginning to the end of the year (Greenwich et al 2007).
In conclusion, the CSP is a programme that was introduced to reduce the rate of unemployment as a strategy of reducing child poverty. The CSP has introduced strategies to improve the living standards of the people by creating opportunities for jobs. The programme aims at achieving its goals in the near future by creating partnerships with the government and other organizations.
Bibliography
Greenwich, Hackey, Newham, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest (2007). East & South East London city strategy pathfinder (CSP). London Development Agency.