CHRISTMAS is the time for considering others and 2023 has seen scores of new initiatives to help struggling jobseekers.
Despite a buoyant jobs market for most of the year, there are still 1.45million unemployed people and vacancy numbers are falling.
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If you are searching for work, need to improve your skillset or are at a career crossroads, help is at hand.
Sunemployment today focuses on free programmes making a positive difference to jobseekers, so sign up with them today.
NANDOS – Fuel Your Future/No Chuckin’ Our Chicken: Run with food redistribution charity FareShare, the Nando’s employability initiative provides work opportunities to people supported by the community groups that FareShare supplies.
Sam McCarthy, Nando’s head of sustainability, explains: “We have a business need to find new talent and this programme gives opportunities to people who might not have otherwise get them.
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“We work together to support people into the world of work and build their confidence and skills for life.”
ZERO GRAVITY: This free-to-use platform gives young people in low-opportunity areas access to mentoring, masterclasses, scholarships and a digital community of over 15,000 students to help them get into top universities and careers. Founder Joe Seddon says using the site doubles the chances of securing top university offers.
BP & THE PRINCE’S TRUST: BP has partnered with The Prince’s Trust to provide retail employment for 50 young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. The next two Get Into Retail initiatives will run in North London in January and in Kent in March 2024.
Eleven of the programme’s initial 14 youngsters have already secured permanent roles with the firm.
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VIRGIN MEDIA 02 – Tech Donation Programme: Studies show 1.7million UK households have no mobile or broadband access at home, making it almost impossible to apply for jobs online. Working with the environmental charity Hubbub, Virgin Media O2 Business donates refurbished smartphones and network access to digitally- excluded children and over-65s.
Businesses can sign up to donate old phones.
INSTITUTE OF CODING – Bootcamps & Click Start: Over ten million adults lack a basic level of digital skills, holding them back from work opportunities.
The Institute of Coding provides thousands of free courses each month, both in person and online, to upskill the nation.
This year, the educational firm celebrated teaching its millionth learner, young mum Molly Smailova, who studied for her course while pregnant with her third child.
‘WORKING HERE IS SUCH FUN’
JOE BLACK joined Nando’s Didcot restaurant earlier this year, through the restaurant’s partnership with Sofea, a charity that provides education, employability and wellbeing programmes for vulnerable young people.
Joe, 17, said: “I’m so grateful for everything Sofea and Nando’s have done for me.
“It’s been life-changing for me. I found school tough, but through this programme, I’ve been able to finish my studies and get qualified while working.
“Working for Nando’s is so much fun and my team is so supportive – we all look out for each other. I’m enjoying my work and I can’t wait to see what the future holds.”
JOBSPOT
WANT to be a work coach and help others get back into employment? Call Inspira on 01229 824 052 for details.
Aim for healthy habits
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DESPITE most major firms now having wellbeing strategies, latest figures show employees are taking more sick days than at any time in the past ten years.
Jayne Holliday, an employment expert with law firm Higgs LLP said: “We are still dealing with the fallout of Covid and there is a cost-of-living crisis.
“These combined have increased stress for many.”
Here, Jayne, above, shares her tips for bosses to help workers stay in good health.
1. WELL THOUGHT-OUT STRATEGY: Go beyond a basic sick absence policy. Employee wellbeing is a holistic approach that covers physical, mental and even financial health. Consider including mental-health first-aiders, financial assistance, strategies to create an inclusive culture, resilience training and mentoring.
2. BE EFFECTIVE: Business leaders should focus on effective wellbeing strategies, rather than “nice-to-haves” such as lunchtime yoga sessions or Friday drinks.
3. OPEN DISCUSSION: An important change a business can implement is structured back-to-work interviews following sick absence. They are a chance to address any issues openly.
4. ANALYSE TRENDS: See if there is a surge in skeletal injuries, for instance, or absentees in a certain team. That could be a sign that there’s a particular problem. Is there a pattern of someone being off regularly on a Monday because of back-to-work dread?
5. HOW’S HYBRID? Ensure your strategy for working from home or in the office suits everyone. We’ve rocketed through a culture change that would have taken ten to 15 years had it not been for Covid and we’re still learning.
JOBSPOT
RADICAL RECRUIT supports people facing barriers to work, including homelessness or being an ex-offender.
Seat saved for you
BLACK hospitality staff have the chance to win one of 16 fully-funded training courses at Leiths School of Food and Wine in West London, through an initiative run by food brand Ben’s Original.
The ten-week career-boosting course includes chef’s skills, knife knowledge and an essential cooking certificate.
Applicants to the Seat At The Table programme need to have been in hospitality roles such as chefs, front of house or kitchen staff for two years.
Nick Reade, general manager at Mars Food & Nutrition UK, said: “We’re delighted to deliver a programme of opportunities that offer people a seat at the table.”
Macaroon job boon
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SOCIAL enterprise Miss Macaroon and the Midcounties Co-operative have launched the Fairer Futures initiative aimed at tackling youth unemployment in the West Midlands.
Based at the Fairer Futures store in Walsall town centre, where 22 per cent of 16 to 65-year-olds are jobless, the programme provides training and work support for youngsters to create macaroons, plus a quiet room for delivering counselling, reflection and mindfulness.
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Trainees are supported for six months after the course, with help with CV writing and interview skills.
Fairer Futures graduate Catherine Smith said: “The skills the programme has taught me have been invaluable. I’ve now got a level two Food Health & Safety qualification.”
