20/07/05

Employers needing skilled workers and disabled people looking for jobs came face to face in a pilot event that was a first for Scotland, aimed at helping those furthest from the workplace into employment.

The Glasgow Employer Coalition has joined forces with leading not-for-profit organisations Momentum, Remploy and the Shaw Trust, in co-ordination with Jobcentre Plus, in a new initiative to match employers’ recruitment needs directly with the skills of disabled people looking for work.

Recent figures show that in 2004, 181 per 1000 of the working age population in Glasgow was sick or disabled, compared to 113 per 1000 across Scotland.

Around 100 jobseekers attended the Disability and Employers Event in the Parish Hall, George Street, Glasgow, on Friday (June 24), a number which exceeded organisers’ expectations.  

The event aimed to assist people who have a disability or are receiving incapacity benefits to get closer to jobs. Details of their skills were provided by Momentum, Remploy and the Shaw Trust before the event so that areas of interest could be identified and appropriate employers invited by the Glasgow Employer Coalition.

Among them were representatives from HSBC, Glasgow City Council Building Services, Dixons, Strathclyde Police and Hudsons, who took part in a series of workshops offering employability advice about the types of skills and attributes sought by employers in a range of areas including banking, call centres, construction, media, health and retail. 

Careers advice was also be available from Careers Scotland and guidance on self-employment from BusinessAble.

Steve Black, Employment Development Manager for Momentum, said: “This is an innovative, pilot partnership which aims to move disabled people who are furthest from the labour market into work.

“It is unique in that it is the first time that employers who are actively seeking to recruit new staff and disabled people who are looking for work have been matched through information provided beforehand, then come face to face at such an event.

“Momentum identified more than a dozen service users from our employment support services in Glasgow to take part in the pilot. Their details were prepared and sent to employers identified by the Glasgow Employer Coalition ahead of the event on June 24, giving employers the chance to match those skills with available jobs.

“This initiative will help to break down the barriers which often prevent disabled people from accessing employment opportunities such as lack of understanding of employers’ needs and expectations by bringing employers seeking staff and those seeking work together, providing a direct route to jobs.”

CVs will now be sent to employers that jobseekers have identified as of most interest. Their progress towards work will be tracked and support will continue to help them to secure work.

Feedback will be gathered from jobseekers, employers and the other partners with the aim of making progress from welfare to work faster and easier, and to get more jobs and self-employment opportunities for the disabled and recipients of incapacity benefits. If successful the pilot could be extended to other areas of Scotland.

Deep Sagar, Director of the Glasgow Employer Coalition, said: “This event put the unemployed face-to-face with employers and self-employment advice. We hope to convert the good intentions on both sides into a model that works.”

Momentum has a long track record of supporting disabled and excluded people into employment and operates a range of employment support and job retention programmes designed to assist people to return to or sustain work.

Clients are supported to find ways of breaking down the barriers that prevent them from finding and keeping jobs. They are assisted to gain qualifications, skills and work experience which enable them to confidently compete in the labour market.

For more information about the Glasgow Employer Coalition, contact Deep Sagar, telephone 0141 249 6659 or email [email protected]

To find out more about Momentum’s Employment Services contact Momentum, 7^th Floor, Savoy Tower, 77 Renfrew Street, Glasgow, G2 3BZ, telephone 0141 333 0567 or e-mail Steve Black, [email protected]

For further information please contact Lorna King or Ashley Lennon, telephone 0141 221 2333