Employment support is offered at the work club sessions which run from Tilling Green Community Centre every Wednesday and Friday, with additional services available from Careers Advice, Benefits Advice and employment-focussed training courses.
There have also been several roadshow/recruitment events in the rural area. These have all proved successful in recruiting staff for local businesses, including Jempson’s, The Gallivant Hotel, Pontins and the housing provider Family Mosaic. The roadshows also offer information regarding training, volunteering, apprenticeships and other employment support services offered in the area.
The rural employability project, run by the Rye Partnership, is funded by the Department for Work and Pensions flexible support fund and has a growing number of organisations and local businesses involved, all aiming to improve employment prospects for local people. Agencies working together with the Rye Partnership at the recent Tilling Green event included Jobcentre Plus (JCP), Sussex Coast College, Rother Voluntary Action, Future Youth Training, Finding Futures dyslexia service, National Careers Service, Rother children’s centres, 1066job.com, Own Grown, Education Futures Trust, The MY Trust, Romney Resource Centre and Little Gate Farm charity.
The work club services at the community centre will continue running through August and September as follows:
- Work club – drop-in sessions every Wednesday and Friday 10am-12pm, (IT support and use of computers for job searching); JCP rural advisers attend these sessions
- Benefits Advice – drop-in session on Wednesday September 3
- National Careers Service – Fridays 9:30am-1pm, by appointment only
- Monthly dyslexia screening and assessments – Wednesday September 3, by appointment only
- CV workshop – Friday September 5
- Training courses TBC from September eg Customer Service, Employability Skills, Basic IT and Conflict management
- Links with Rother Voluntary Action -Volunteer Hub based at St Mary’s, Wednesday mornings
For more information about the Rural Employability Project or the roadshow events, email Flora Williams or phone 01797 229600.
Flora Williams is a project organiser for the Rye Partnership