Walsall charity hoping to "transform" area with employment opportunities
Steps to Work is helping to remove barriers for local people
A local charity is tackling rising unemployment rates in Walsall, after the Office for National Statistics (ONS) discovered that Walsall's unemployment rate (5.6%) is almost 2% higher than the unemployment rate for England (3.9%).
Steps to Work (STW) is helping to remove barriers for local people, to find jobs and boost employment.
The Annual Population Survey for 2021 reported that over 49 percent of the Walsall working-age population have at least two A-levels (or equivalent), and 10 percent have no qualifications, adding another barrier to employment.
Over the last five years, STW has supported over 47,983 local unemployed residents across the West Midlands to build their confidence, gain new skills, face their challenges, and ultimately obtain secure employment and financial stability.
It has helped people with CV writing support and guidance, job search support and interview preparation.
STW’s sister organisation Starting Point Recruitment (SPR) provides support to a range of Walsall residents, delivering monthly ‘Motivate Your Mind’ workshops to unemployed female residents of Walsall.
Ayesha Rees, Chief Operating Officer of Steps To Work said: ‘’To break the cycle of poverty and crime in Walsall, we need to support people to gain valuable life skills that will enable them to get back into work.
‘’We do not want people to be left behind, which is why we partner with a range of organisations across Walsall and support projects to deliver much needed employment services for those who need it most.
‘’Social responsibility is integrated into everything we do, and we remain true to our community building approach. Last year, SPR announced another record-breaking year of charitable giving, gifting a total of £801,423 to employment support projects operating across Walsall and the Black Country; an increase of 32% on the previous year.
‘’On top of the support we offer, last December we were proud to open a Community Hub in Pleck that offers discounted food and employment support to local people who are struggling.
"We understand the pressures many people are facing, and with high unemployment rates and food costs continuing to soar, we want to give back to the most disadvantaged in whatever way we can.’’