Westminster Works is working for local residents.

Mr C. is 54 years old and had a history of working in retail, although it was not a job role he enjoyed much. However his working life was disrupted when he needed to care for his ailing mother and this involved a long trip to the Caribbean. On his return he found it hard to get a job. He was not eligible for Job Seeker’s Allowance because his wife is working. My C. started to become quite despondent about the prospect of work.

Fortunately Open Age, an organisation within the Westminster Works partnership, was able to help. Using their professional networks, Open Age staff got to hear of a possible role as a courrier for an agency that needed a responsible person to carry passports and visas to and fro to the Passport Office. Rather than wait for the job to be advertised, Mary at Open Age constructed a possible ‘person spec’ for the role and sent it to the potential employers asking: ‘Is this what you are looking for? If so, I have a suitable person.’

This bold initiative paid off and Mr C. is now in his second week of full time work with the agency.

This is the first job for the new Westminster Works, a project funded by ESF and Westminster Council to help people who live in the Council’s Neighbourhood Renewal estates to find work. The project plans to place over 400 people into work over the next year.

For more information, please contact Jessica Pickard.  07960672629 or jessica@pdt.org.uk

PDT Westworks delivers THE WESTMINSTER WORKS jobs, Training and skills programme with partners Westminster Kingsway College, City West Homes and Welfare to Work  which is helping local people find their way into training and back into work.

The programme is funded through Westminster City Council and the European Social Fund

To find out more about Westminster Works drop into the Church Street Neighbourhood Office at 88 Church Street or  email Jessica Pickard or call  020 3214 3113

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PDT and local partners City West Homes, Open Age, W2W, and Peabody Trust have won a two year contract to deliver the Westminster Works employment programme to unemployed  people living in North and South Westminster.

Starting in January Westminster Works will be open for business, providing advice, access to skills and job opportunities for local people.

Watch this space for further news!