Working Links - Changing lives. Creating futures.

Date: 9 April 2008

 

Working Links, a leading UK organisation that helps the long-term unemployed to find work with individually tailored support programmes, has published the results of a survey showing how clients’ lives have been affected since finding employment. As well as improved financial circumstances, the findings highlight the wider benefits of working on health, the family, self-esteem and overall quality of life.

 

Of the 1,300 clients surveyed, 8 out of 10 people said that they are more satisfied with their lives since finding work, with the majority citing an improved financial situation.

 

When questioned on the impact that working has had on their personal lives, the top three positive changes cited were increased self-motivation (62%), more self-confidence (67%) and a greater quality of life (57%).

 

The research also revealed that around 70% of the clients helped into work were still in their job after a year, with 93% of those either in the same job or promoted to a better position. Moreover 84% of those questioned felt that since entering employment, their job had improved in some way, with key improvements cited as learning new skills (59%), being given more responsibility (47%) and increased pay (42%).

 

Keith Faulkner, MD of Working Links commented: “These findings demonstrate that employment can improve an individual’s whole life, not just their financial situation. As such, the survey results are also a testament to the success of Working Links’ holistic approach to finding individuals sustainable employment.

 

“We do more than simply find jobs for our clients – we help to change lives by raising aspirations and improving self confidence, empowering people to take charge of their own life and build a future.”  

 

Since Working Links was founded in 2000, it has helped over 95,000 find employment. The organisation’s recognise the personal barriers that the long-term unemployed face when looking for work and help clients overcome these with individually tailored support programmes.  This includes help with confidence building and skills training, as well as support with debt, housing and childcare. Once in work, ongoing support is provided to help clients progress within the workplace.

 

Ends

 

Notes to editors

• Working Links was founded in 2000 and operates in almost 100 locations across England, Scotland and Wales. It is a unique organisation that delivers services to tackle social exclusion and poverty by helping disadvantaged individuals and communities.
• Through its belief that sustained employment is the route out of poverty, its employability programmes have helped change the lives of 95,000 people by placing them in work..
• Profit is not Working Links’ main focus. Its shareholders endorse its social purpose and are interested in how Working Links can create long term value. This means it invests in the quality of services and the communities where it operates. In 2004 the company set up an independent charitable trust, ‘The Links Foundation’, which invests in valuable community projects in areas where Working Links operates. So far the Foundation has donated £1.2 million.
• Working Links operates in 90 locations across England, Scotland and Wales delivering more than 70 contracts.