Employment training has been the fulcrum of our attempt to bring regeneration to the community. We believe that, apart from income, employment is a source of dignity and esteem for almost everyone who has it, and the absence of it has a debilitating effect upon individuals, households, communities and societies.
At the last official count, our area was enduring 42% overall unemployment, and 65% unemployment amongst 18-25 year-olds! In many ways, a stolid culture of unemployment had settled in the community. Exclusion from work opportunities over several generations Hassid thoroughly demotivated those of working age. Benefits provided a means to make unemployment financially tolerable. In short, many had as realistic expectation that they would never find work. That is the environment in which we dared to suggest that work was achievable and desirable.
During the twelve years of our provision of employment training, of 360 participants,

100 have gained permanent employment

150 have gone on to further education and training, and

150 have returned to unemployment
These numbers mask a sea of inspiring and challenging stories of people taking-up opportunities to move to a new mind-set, and into economic activity.
We want to continue to address unemployment in the community, amongst, particularly: recent school leavers, women 'returners' and those experiencing deficits in basic skills, such as literacy and numeracy.