The Salvation Army hosted an employment event in Southport in a bid to support people getting back into work and had a special appearance from Patrick Hurley MP, Member of Parliament for Southport.
Jobseekers from Southport and the surrounding areas attended the event and talked to employability experts in a bid to start transforming their lives through finding work.
Along with The Salvation Army’s Employment Plus team, which was on hand to offer employment advice, help people search for volunteering opportunities and view live job vacancies, exhibitors included Sefton CVS, Liverpool City Region Digital Inclusion Team, Home Energy Advice Team and Health Watch.
Mr Hurley spoke with a number of exhibitors, job seekers and The Salvation Army to hear how its Employment Plus service supports people into quality work, not just any job, helping people who face the biggest barriers to employment such as a lack of up to-to date skills and those who have been unable to search for work due to caring responsibilities, health problems, disability, or homelessness.
Patrick Hurley, Member of Parliament for Southport and the Northern Parishes said:
“It was a pleasure to attend The Salvation Army’s employment event in Southport and meet both the organisations providing support and the local people looking to take their next steps into work.
“Often, people who face barriers such as poor health, caring responsibilities, homelessness or long periods out of the labour market can find it difficult to access the help they need. The Salvation Army’s Employment Plus service recognises that getting somebody into sustainable, fulfilling work is about much more than simply matching them to a vacancy.
“I was hugely impressed by the range of support on offer and by the commitment shown by the team and partner organisations. Services like these play a vital role in helping people rebuild confidence, develop new skills and secure quality employment, and I would encourage anyone in Southport who is looking for support to get in touch.”
The Southport event came at a time when The Salvation Army announced it was concerned about fewer entry-level opportunities and longer job queues, meaning many people who struggle the most in the labour market who are not ‘job ready’ are being left behind. The church and charity also shared concern that official unemployment figures don’t show the full picture, with many people not qualifying for help from Job Centre Plus and not knowing where to turn to for help.
Peter Maybury, Salvation Army Employment Plus Manager for the North West said:
“The Salvation Army’s main aim is to help members of the local community and our employment service does just that through tailored support given to people that need it most when it comes to getting work. Our employment open day in Southport took place at the heart of the community and was a huge success that shined a spotlight on not only the work that we do in this sector but also other organisations that can support people too. We provided a ‘one stop shop’ with a range of partners in attendance and were proud to be able to offer so much more than just employment support, as our service name suggests – Employment Plus, employment plus so much more.
“We want to send our heartfelt thanks to Mr Hurley for attending the event and speaking so positively about our work, identifying and understanding how the service can help change people’s lives and speaking to exhibitors, really getting to the heart of what we all do to offer support to the Southport and wider community. We’re passionate about our work and the fact that there is no time limit on our service, so even if someone missed the event and wants support, please do get in touch.”
The Salvation Army’s Employment Plus service is delivered from 327 Salvation Army churches, centres and hostels for people who are homeless around the UK and also operates in 230 other locations such as at Job Centre plus or other local partners, and 13 prisons.
- For more information about Employment Plus support in your area contact The Salvation Army on 07469 659 213 or email [email protected]
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