Young Person Given A Lift Into Employment

A Welsh Government funded employment programme is making a real difference to the lives of people in the Caerphilly county borough. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The LIFT programme forms part of Welsh Government’s Tackling Poverty agenda; it is aimed at supporting people who have spent more than 6 months out of work and who face great barriers to becoming employable. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Caerphilly County Borough Council has a specialist team delivering the programme; providing support and practical assistance to help local people back into work or training. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Kristian Osborne, 18, from Abertysswg, is one person who has received support through the programme. After leaving school with a number of GCSEs and BTEC qualifications, he attended college to complete a two year carpentry course; however, he has found it difficult to find work. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

During the 8 months that Kristian engaged with the LIFT programme, he was able to continue carpentry whilst completing a number of other courses to help his chances of finding suitable work. These included construction skills, manual handling and asbestos awareness, as well as interview skills. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

As a result of Kristian’s hard work and the support he was given by the LIFT team, he was delighted to secure a Welsh Government funded Jobs Growth Wales vacancy with Contract Services recently. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Contract Services is one of the contractors helping to deliver Caerphilly County Borough Council’s £200 million Welsh Housing Quality Standard (WHQS) improvement programme. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Kristian said “I am really enjoying my time at Contract Services and it has given me the opportunity to work as part of a team. My parents are also really pleased that I have found a job. I’ve also learned new carpentry skills such as putting in doors and fitting kitchens. I’m enjoying being able to put what I gained at college into practice.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr David Poole, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Housing, added “The LIFT programme is delivering some fantastic results within the county borough and Kristian’s story is just one example of difference the programme is making to the lives of local people. Also key to the programme’s success locally are the relationships the LIFT team have developed with partners like Job Centre Plus, the council’s Welsh Housing Quality Standard team and potential employers, like Contract Services.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​