Pictured above: Yuthina Lawrence (left), of Pertemps People
Development Group, joins Leslie Kotey Nikoi (centre), director of
Sanctuary Care Midlands Ltd, and PPDG client Cleopatra Farrell to
celebrate the success of the business and the creation of 10 new
jobs
A Birmingham business that was recently on the brink of collapse
due to spiraling staff costs is now thriving after getting support
from an employment initiative.
The survival of Sanctuary Care Midlands Ltd means that many
homeless teenagers still benefit from its service, while 10 jobs
have been created at the company for local unemployed people.
Director Leslie Kotey Nikoi said his company's success would not
have been possible without the support of employment experts
Pertemps People Development Group (PPDG) and the Intermediary
Labour Market (ILM) programme it delivers.
Sanctuary Care Midlands, based at Winson Green/Edgbaston is a
supported housing provision for vulnerable homeless young people in
Birmingham. It serves as a transitional housing provider for
16-18-year-olds and equips them with skills and opportunities to
help them become independent.
Leslie said: "The harsh realities of the economic downturn in
2010 presented the company with the direst of liquidity problems.
The company was close to winding up due to increasing levels of
staffing costs. Being a start-up business, obtaining credit from
banking and non-banking sources was near impossible.
"Consequently, we popped into the PPDG offices at Newtown to
gather information on staff issues. It was there that we were
introduced to the ILM programme. On meeting the criteria, we were
assigned an employment liaison co-ordinator whose remit was to
attend to all our recruitment requirements.
"PPDG and the ILM threw a lifeline to my business and I can
confidently say that a hitherto struggling company which was near
to collapse has become a growing and viable business."
He added: "The positive turnaround to my business is
demonstrated by the fact that our employees have now completed
their six months' probation and have a guaranteed job and contract
with Sanctuary Care. It is amazing what wealth of opportunity the
ILM placements has afforded hitherto benefit-dependent, literacy
and numeracy-challenged - as well as perennially unemployed -
people in society."
Training made available to Sanctuary Care's employees through
PPDG has also been of major benefit and they collected their NVQ
qualifications in March.
Employee Cleopatra Farrell, who was a long-term unemployed
client at PPDG, said: "I was on probation for six months and I am
now a permanent employee at Sanctuary Care. Gradually I am
accomplishing my goals and while working at Sanctuary I would like
to gain training and qualifications relating to my job. I'm very
grateful for all the support and all that I have achieved while
under the care of Pertemps People Development Group."
PPDG delivers the Government's Welfare to Work strategy across
the Midlands through Flexible New Deal, Work Focused Training and
other employment initiatives. PPDG is using its vast experience of
helping long-term unemployed people get back into work to help
local jobseekers secure employment opportunities.
PPDG's team of employment experts provides advice on benefits,
confidence building, one-to-one support, CV and interview
preparation as well as finding the right job or training course. In
partnership with DWP, the Ministry of Justice and Jobcentre Plus,
PPDG delivers a diverse range of employment and training
initiatives including Flexible New Deal, Working Neighbourhoods
Fund, Learndirect and many ESF funded programmes.
More than 100,000 job seekers have been helped into sustained
employment by PPDG since the projects began. It has trained 130,000
people in vocational skills, and over 175,000 people have
benefitted from professional information, advice and guidance. PPDG
came fourth in The Sunday Times Best Companies to Work For
2011.
For more information about Pertemps People Development Group,
please visit their website here: www.ppdg.co.uk