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1047 People in work in the last 6 years as Employment Project Celebrates 6th Birthday

Posted on 30 June 2011.

Work on the Horizon located in the heart of Bloxwich Town Centre, marks its 6th birthday on the 6^th July 2011.

The project, which is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund and Walsall Neighbourhood Funds, acknowledges the hundreds of unemployed people who have been supported in to work and supported hundreds of qualifications since the project began.

The project is located on Queens Parade on Bloxwich High Street and lead by ‘One Stop’ Employment Shop Manager Stephanie Hammond, working with a team of 9 qualified and friendly staff, who do more than just matching unemployed people with local employers.

Stephanie added: “It’s important to celebrate our 6th birthday, but it is not a celebration of Work on the Horizon, but rather a celebration of the many, many people we have helped in the last six years. We would also like to thank the funders, employers and partners who have supported the project over the last six years"

Work on the Horizon was the first project of its kind in Bloxwich and the West Midlands region and, was established during the height of the county's unemployment crisis with the decline in the local manufacturing industry.

Work on the Horizon targets local areas of disadvantage, such as Blakenhall, Bloxwich East and West, and Birchills Leamore, helps unemployed people get back to work by offering a wide range of advice, information and personal support. This can involve assessing a person's skills and matching them with vacancies, polishing interview techniques, CV writing and ongoing support once an unemployed person has found work or training. Work on the Horizon also works with employers to find new job vacancies for their unemployed customers.

While the project has helped over 912 people to access qualifications and 1047 employment in the past 6 years, there are also the elements that are difficult to quantify such as helping people's confidence, self esteem and encouraging people to get work placements to improve their skills. The number of local people using the shop since July 2005 is a huge, 7812 showing the free service really has made a difference to Walsall residents lives and the amount of support they can access.