It’s holiday time, so it was a huge pleasure for GB Job Clubs to spend a couple of hours at the seaside, attending the launch of Weymouth & Portland Job Club this afternoon. This great new resource for Jobseekers in the borough is facilitated by Weymouth College.
In this area of comparatively high unemployment, Julie Ellis and her team have done a superb job in getting W & P Job Club going, with great enthusiasm as well as an enviable knowledge base and much experience in employability and work-readiness.
These efforts have sparked great appreciation and support from Weymouth Chamber of Commerce, local employers, councillors and churches. Jobcentre Plus and Dorset Probation Trust plus the education department of HMP YOI Portland were also represented during the afternoon.
The area is one of the 2012 Olympic sites, with the huge honour of hosting next year’s sailing Regatta. A great boost for the town and one which has already generated extra employment and volunteering opportunities. So I’m sure it won’t be too long before we’re reporting on Weymouth & Portland Job Club’s first placements.
From September, GB Job Clubs will be delivering Introduction to Job Clubs to prisoners as part of the pre-release program on Portland, so this was also an opportunity to meet and chat informally with potential partners and volunteers.