The Workshop employment project, funded by Coventry New Deal for
Communities (NDC) and delivered by Pertemps People Development
Group (PPDG), is celebrating helping more than 450 local people
find local jobs.
Since October 2007, a total of 463 Coventry people have had
their lives transformed after ending their unemployment ordeals
with support from the innovative jobs initiative launched by
Coventry NDC, a £54 million regeneration initiative for the
area.
NDC funds The Workshop in Riley Square, Bell Green, to primarily
support NDC residents in Wood End, Henley Green, Manor Farm and
Deedmore, into work. In the last three financial years the project
has enjoyed significant success helping support the skills and
employment needs of over 1,000 local residents.
The initiative allows local jobseekers from the NDC area, as
well as the wider North East of the city, to access a wide range of
advice and support from The Workshop team. This includes courses
designed to boost confidence, motivation and inspiration and a
comprehensive job brokerage service for NDC residents.
The Workshop allows staff to spend time with individual
residents, and groups, to raise employment aspirations and
achievements. Activities help people to determine their career
choice, engage with additional training or access the advice,
support and encouragement necessary to realise their ambitions and
secure a job. The emphasis has been on delivering an 'outreach'
element, seeking to engage with harder to reach residents,
including lone parents, refugees and those on incapacity and
sickness benefits.
It also has links via NDC and a wide range of partners to local
job opportunities, and undertakes bespoke programmes of support,
tailored to meet local need. In 2009 several local residents
successfully secured jobs at the new Moathouse Leisure and
Neighbourhood Centre in Wood End after a job interview guarantee
programme of intensive employment support in partnership with
Pertemps Coachright and Coventry Sports Trust.
PPDG regional operations director Linda Vickers said: "The team
are to be congratulated for the positive impact they have had on
the lives of people in some of the most deprived Coventry wards.
Our job is not just to find people a job, but to ensure that those
opportunities are sustained into the future.
"The performance over the past year in particular has been
outstanding in spite of the severe economic climate, with 189
people supported into work. The Workshop is a great success story
for the residents in the North East of Coventry and a tremendous
example of partnership working."