1,000 back into work accross Warwickshire
One thousand people
have been placed back into work across Coventry and Warwickshire
thanks to a programme helping people on health-related
benefits.
The programme, run by employment specialists Working
Links, supports those that are unemployed and receiving health
related benefits into sustainable jobs.
Customers are eligible to join the programme after being out of
work for more than six months. And it supports the belief that
through helping people on a health related benefit overcome their
barriers to finding a job, it will reduce the gap between disabled
and able bodied people in the workplace.
All one to one support offered to customers is tailored and
includes a Condition Management Programme which aims to educate,
support and advise people how to manage their condition in the
workplace. And the focus is on the type of job that someone can do
rather than those that they can’t.
Commenting on the 1,000th milestone, Working Links Delivery
Manager Laurie Scott said: “We are really pleased to have reached
the 1,000th milestone and helped so many people overcome their
personal barriers to work.
“From our experience it is essential to focus on the ability
rather than the disability of our customers. Giving them the
right support provides them with the critical self-esteem and
confidence boost they need to even consider returning to work.”
Coventry man Dave Gardiner helped Working Links through the
milestone, becoming the programme’s 1000th person back to work.
After suffering a knee injury in a previous job, he came to
Working Links for help fulfilling his dream of becoming
self-employed. Now, he’s his own boss after launching Gardiner
Brothers – a handyman services firm covering Warwickshire
.
Dave said: “For me self employment is the ideal way to return to
employment whilst being able to manage my health. Through attending
Working Links I was able to understand in work benefits and access
business support through Enterprise Coventry. This gave me the
added incentive, skills and motivation to begin my business.
“I had always enjoyed doing bits of DIY and landscape gardening
for friends and family so it’s an ideal business for me to start.
So far, my business is going really well. I have picked quite a lot
of work through word of mouth so hopefully it will continue to
grow.”
David Gardiner was helped on his journey by Personal
Consultant Lesley Stevenson, who said: “David has done
fantastically well.
“He was unemployed for ten months and concerned that returning
to his previous employment would have a detrimental effect on his
health. We were able to explore his ideas for self employment, how
this would allow him to manage his health, provide financial
support and look at what would make him financially better off.
“In order to make sure David’s plans were achievable he was
signposted to Enterprise Coventry, where he was able to attend
business start up workshops, have his own business mentor and
develop a business plan.”
For more information on the Pathways to Work
contract please call 0800 917 9262 or contact us.