Full-time jobs club opening in Basildon (From Echo)

Full-time jobs club opening in Basildon

6:00am Tuesday 1st May 2012 in Local News By Emma Palmer

Basildon is to get its first full-time jobs club in a bid to get more people off the dole and into work.

The existing volunteer-run jobs club, on Craylands, has become so successful it is set to be expanded and made a permanent fixture on the estate.

The club, in Exeter Close, started in October, but has only been able to open for a few hours once a week.

It has now been taken over by independent charity, Signpost, which will open the venue five days a week and expand its services to help the unemployed. Currently there are two other Signpost venues in Essex, in Tendring and Colchester.

New Signpost centre manager, Artak Poghosyan, said: “We really believe we can do some good in Basildon and are thrlled to be opening up the Signpost Centre.

“It’s for people of all ages. They can drop in and use the internet, get help applying for jobs, get tips on writing covering letters, whatever they need. Everything is free.

“At the moment there will be one staff member there all the time, but we’re applying for funds to get a second member of staff.”

The opening of the centre, on May 8, comes as a new council document reveals “a number” of families in Basildon are now second or third generation unemployed.

The community strategy report – which sets out how employment, crime, housing and health will improve over the next 25 years – also revealed Basildon has more jobless people than other parts of Essex. Currently the borough has eight per cent unemployment, which is well above the national 6.5 per cent jobless rate.

Job-hunters will be able to visit the Signpost Centre from 1pm to 4pm Monday to Thursday, or make an appointment to get more tailored “one to one” advice.