Local scheme means survival turns into revival for Oldham job seekers
An Oldham-based scheme called Better Life Chances, run by Spindles social enterprise Upturn, has helped 80 participants—40 from Oldham and 40 from Rochdale—gain confidence and improve their employment prospects. The program combines practical work placements with one-to-one mentoring, leading 34 participants to return to education and 33 to find full-time work. One participant even started her own business. The scheme is funded by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and WEA, targeting individuals with barriers to employment, such as mental health issues or learning disabilities.
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Oldham man who never thought he’d work again lands job through bushcraft scheme
By Maria Williams
Oldham, Greater Manchester
A 34-year-old Oldham man who spent years unemployed and struggling with mental-health problems has secured a full-time job after completing a bushcraft-based back-to-work programme.
Gareth Williams, who left school with no qualifications and has battled depression, anxiety and ADHD, started work this month as a grounds-maintenance operative for Valley Farm Organics, a social-enterprise contractor based in Rochdale.
He is one of 80 long-term unemployed Greater Manchester residents who have taken part in the “Better Life Chances” scheme run by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) and national adult-learning organisation WEA.
Of the 80 participants, 40 are from Oldham and 86 per cent have mental-health conditions, learning disabilities or caring responsibilities, GMCA figures show.
Williams said the programme, which includes campfire-cooking lessons, shelter-building and one-to-one mentoring, gave him the confidence to apply for jobs he previously felt were “out of reach”.
“I’ve learnt loads about bushcraft and talked through loads of different things in the counselling sessions,” he said.
“The first step is to recover self-belief and harness the will-to-work.”
Maria Williams, HR director at Upturn, the employment charity delivering the scheme, added: “Imagine how daunting that can be when you can’t even read job adverts or fill in application forms.”
A recent GMCA survey found 86 per cent of people living with conditions such as ADHD and dyslexia want to work “but feel the cards are stacked against them”.
(End of article)
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