New Project Aims to Help Young People and Job Seekers

Published on: 24 Jul, 2013
Updated on: 24 Jul, 2013

A new social enterprise project is being launched to help young people and job seekers in the Westborough and Stoke wards of Guildford.

Featuring training, skills and work opportunities, Guildford Borough Council will be working with Surrey Lifelong Learning Partnership, Guildford YMCA, Oakleaf Enterprise and Guildford College, to develop the project.

Cllr Richard Billington, lead councillor for community safety and health, said: “The enterprise aims to help job seekers and young people not in employment, education or training. It will enhance their employability through work experience and accredited qualifications.”

View across Bellfields Green from Stoke Hill.

Services identified that the enterprise could deliver include: gardening services for older residents; gardening at sheltered housing schemes, day centres and council offices; street cleansing in Westborough.

The project will run on an initial two-year trial basis. The services will be provided by the enterprise within the costs currently incurred by the council.

The enterprise will be partly based at the Guildford Bike Project’s newly opened shop in Southway. The council hopes to help develop the unit further as a centre for promoting social enterprise, learning and skills in the area.

The leader of Guildford Borough Council, Stephen Mansbridge, said: “Social enterprise offers an opportunity for partners to work together for the benefit of local communities. We are keen to build on the success of the Guildford Bike Project with other social enterprise schemes.

“I am hopeful that we can encourage experienced and successful business people to be part of this, bringing their knowledge and funding to future schemes in priority areas of our borough.”