‘Transforming lives through employability’ event open to Oldham jobseekers

The Salvation Army is hosting a drop-in event next Wednesday (June 26) where jobseekers from Oldham and the surrounding areas can call in and talk to employability experts and start transforming their lives through finding work. 

The open event at the Salvation Army in Oldham, located on Roundthorn Road, runs from 10am to 1pm.

Jobseekers will be able to meet employment development co-ordinators to get employment advice, training and volunteering information.

Refreshments will also be provided and partner organisations who provide local wellbeing support will also be present.

The Salvation Army’s Employment Plus service supports people into quality work, not just any job.

Employment Plus helps people who face the biggest barriers to employment such as a lack of up to-to date skills, those who have been unable to search for work due to health problems, disability, or homelessness.

A third of Employment Plus clients are classed in labour force statistics* as economically inactive but want a job.

This means that they want to find work, but they are not able to apply for jobs for reasons that include caring responsibilities and poor physical or mental health.

Those classed as economically inactive are often not eligible for Government support to find work.

In Oldham there are 6,200 people who are classed as economically inactive but want a job.  

Peter Maybury, regional manager for the Salvation Army’s Employment Plus department, said: “We see thousands of people who are desperate to work but are being held back by the job market for reasons that are very often beyond their control.

"People who have had to stop work to care for loved ones, people who have had their own long-term health problems and people trying to rebuild their lives after being homeless.

"People can find that the job market has moved on while they have been ill or caring for others. 

“We know that people who have the greatest barriers to finding and keeping work need specialist, long-term, person-centred support from services such as Employment Plus.

"People often come to us because there is no other support available to them.  

“Our event on June 26 is a celebration of the lives transformed through employability, as well as an opportunity for local jobseekers to drop in and find out what specialist support is available to them. Everyone is welcome.” 

In the past 12 months, Employment Plus has helped 4,911 people across the UK and Ireland with job support.

This cohort has completed 6,249 milestones - such as building a new CV, completing a training course or a work experience placement - with 1,156 of these jobseekers gaining employment.   

The specialist service is delivered from 296 Salvation Army churches, centres and hostels for people who are homeless.

The church and charity is also working in seven prisons, helping individuals to increase their employability chances on release with 18 successful employment outcomes in the last year.  

For more information about the Oldham drop-in event, contact: emma.smerdon@salvationarmy.org.uk

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