Employment, training and skills projects across London are set to benefit from £11 million funding revealed by the Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone and Sarah Ebanja, London Development Agency  Deputy Chief Executive.

The grants will fund a range of skills training, work placements and employment advice involving organisations such as the Peabody Trust, City Gateway, Princes Trust, Centrepoint and Sports Coaches UK.

The Opportunities Fund (‘Engaging in London 2012’) grants will fund projects that are particularly aimed at helping the capital’s most disadvantaged and excluded communities.

The projects include sports and leisure training for young people, a London Metropolitan University project to create 40 new women-led businesses, catering and hospitality training in Hammersmith & Fulham, support for Bengali women to start up and develop businesses and training in Islington and training and work placements for 200 Black and Ethnic Minority construction graduates.

Over 14,000 Londoners and 1500 businesses will benefit from the funding which runs from 2007 to 2010. Projects will benefit residents in every London borough.

Ken Livingstone said, "The 2012 Games is a once in a generation opportunity for London to transform communities across the capital which have suffered from decades of under investment and neglect."

"The Opportunities Fund will provide over 14,000 Londoners with the training and support they need to make the most of the huge opportunities brought by the London Olympics. The projects will train the new sports coaches; cooks and builders who are needed to make London 2012 successful. Groups who suffer from exclusion, such as lone parents, Black and Ethnic Minority communities and disabled Londoners, will get the advice and training they need to find work," he added.

"And Londoners in every borough will benefit from Olympic opportunity projects, from Hillingdon to Havering to Hammersmith. This funding will help fulfil the commitments I have repeatedly made that there will be a lasting community legacy and Londoners will receive real benefits from the 2012 London Games," he concluded

Sarah Ebanja said: "The London Development Agency’s Opportunities Fund is about empowering local people to make a difference and I am delighted by the number of projects being led by smaller organisations. The 14,000 Londoners to benefit from round two projects announced today, are on top of the 20,000 anticipated beneficiaries of round one. I think this will make a huge impact."

"The 2012 Games is a major catalyst to increasing training and employment in London which is why it is among the key themes of round two funding. It is our priority to ensure Londoners get the most out of Olympic opportunities and these projects will compliment the extensive work already underway or planned in making this happen."

East Potential`s managing director, David Chesterton said, "This is great news for hundreds of people who want to find work in the construction industry. East Potential will be supporting 300 learners over the next 3 years to get the right skills to work in the construction industry to help meet the real demand for skilled construction workers as a result of the 2012 Games. Working with the Princes Trust, Lifeline and Building Crafts College, we will give people from across London training, support and a real chance to take advantage of the new job opportunities that will come from the London Olympics."