Minister celebrates 3,000th job and training milestone

On the second anniversary of the Lift programme, Communities Minister Lesley Griffiths has celebrated the 3,000th training and work opportunity provided through the innovative scheme.

Lift helps people living in households where no one has worked for more than six months to find a job or undertake training. The new figures revealed today show the programme has already helped almost 600 people get a job and is on track to meet its ambitious target of providing 5,000 training and work opportunities by the end of 2017.

Lift provides dedicated one-to-one support to people who face barriers to getting a job, such as young single parents, disabled people, adults with no qualifications or those with poor employment records.

One of the people to have benefitted from the scheme is Daniel Grosvenor from Penplas, Swansea, who had been unemployed for over 4 years before he was referred to Our Club – an innovative partnership between the Lift programme and the Centre of Coaching Excellence.

Our Club sees participants undertaking a combination of sports based team work, skills training and job placements, to gain the confidence and abilities they need to impress prospective employers.

After a successful job placement with a local employer, Daniel was fast tracked by the company into a trainee Deputy Manager role at their new branch.

Daniel said:

“When I first started at Our Club I had no confidence, I would never stand up in front of anybody. I had no focus in life and I didn’t know what I wanted to do as a career.

“I’ve taken part in a number of programmes in the past, but I’ve achieved so much more with Our Club. Now, I know what I want to do, I have focus, and I’m looking forward to the future.”

Minister for Communities and Tackling Poverty, Lesley Griffiths said:

“I am delighted Lift has provided 3,000 training and work opportunities, with almost 600 people supported into a job. Today’s statistics mean the programme is well on track to meet our ambitious target of providing 5,000 opportunities by the end of 2017.

“Lift really is changing lives. Through providing one-to-one advice and support, employment brokers are helping people overcome the challenges they have faced in the past to getting a job.

“It is fantastic to hear the stories of people like Daniel, who now have the confidence and skills they need to succeed.”