Over 7,000 Reasons To Be Cheerful

BUSINESS bosses have welcomed the news that national charity Shaw Trust will help over 7,000 local people across the area to make the break from benefits to work over the next three years.

The charity, which provides employment services for disabled and disadvantaged people, has been awarded the Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Pathways to Work contract, in the latest phase of the government roll out of its programme across the country.

The announcement was made by Department for Work and Pensions Secretary of State Peter Hain and Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce welcomed the news that local employers will be able to access new skills.

Paul Briggs, Chief Executive of the Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce Group, said: "This is great news for the area. Many businesses within the region currently suffer from finding suitable new employees with the right skills. This project can help combat this problem by bringing skills back into the job market."

Shaw Trust, whose mission is to help disabled and disadvantaged people achieve work and independence, is already running Pathways contracts in Great Manchester East and West and Norfolk, and was also awarded two more - Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire and Hampshire and the Isle of Wight - in this phase.

The charity, which already has a strong presence in the area, has already supported over 38,000 people into jobs nationally under the New Deal for Disabled People Job Broking programme, which has been extended to the new Pathways to Work, which goes live in the district on April 28th, 2008.

"We are delighted that Pathways to Work will allow us to further extend the Trust's support to an even greater number of clients in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, where we already have a number of powerful projects," said Shaw Trust's Pathways District Manager Sue Rozelaar, who has moved from her previous job as London and South East Regional Employment Manager to head up Pathways.

"I am really excited about Pathways, which is a fantastic opportunity for our clients. It's also very special for me to be launching it in the area where I live," adds Sue, who lives in Hazelmere.

"We look forward to working with other expert local partner organisations to help thousands of local people to get jobs."

The government's flagship Pathways programme is part of DWP Secretary of State Peter Hain's crusade for full employment and an end to poverty. Managed by Jobcentre Plus, Pathways provides extra help for people on incapacity benefits to find work, using a holistic service that includes support from highly skilled personal advisers, groundbreaking NHS rehabilitation support, a Return to Work Credit of £40 a week, and in-work support.

Shaw Trust's Chief Executive Ian Charlesworth added: "We are pleased that our 25 years of experience and proven success has been recognised with the awarding of this contract.

"Shaw Trust believes that everyone has the right to work, and our entire mission is about supporting people into sustainable employment.

"We bring a unique, innovative and client-centered approach to the delivery of public services and we and our partners look forward to helping ensure that Pathways to Work is a real success in reducing the number of people on benefits."

Shaw Trust, which worked with over 60,000 people nationally last year, already has a strong presence in the area, where it has been operating for 25 years delivering its services, including Workstep, Workprep, job broking and a range of services to young people and clients with learning disabilities and mental health issues.

The charity's nationwide services also include alternatives to daycare, Staying in Work and Condition Management with expert partner organisations, which is an essential part of the new Pathways to Work support system.

Shaw Trust's Sue Rozalaar and her team will be running the new Pathways to Work programme across the whole of the area, with partner organisation support. There will be a series of offices in High Wycombe, Milton Keynes and Bracknell and a number of outreach sites to ensure that the programme is on everyone's doorstep.

* For more information, please log onto www.shaw-trust.org.uk

NOTES TO EDITORS

1. For further details, please contact Sharne Halliday on 07967 661129 or you can email: crucialpr@shaw-trust.org.uk

2. Shaw Trust is a national charity, formed in 1982, which helps people with disability or disadvantage to find work and achieve independence. We do this not only by delivering government programmes, but also through our own self-funded initiatives, and by campaigning to change attitudes at all levels.

3. Shaw Trust has grown into a world-renowned international organisation, which over the years has supported nearly 160,000 disabled and disadvantaged people and helped some 50,000 of them into work.

4. Across the UK more than 1,200 staff now oversee a diverse range of more than 200 projects.

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