1st May 2008

DUMFRIES HOUSE TRUST PLEDGE JOBS TO LOCAL PEOPLE

The Great Steward of Scotland’s Dumfries House Trust, named after one of His Royal Highness, The Prince of Wales’s Scottish titles, has entered into a ‘jobs pledge’, as an employer, aimed at finding job opportunities for local people.

The Local Employment Partnership represents a new and innovative approach where employers pledge jobs for long term unemployed people and those at a disadvantage in the jobs market.

Jean Wilson, Jobcentre Plus district manager for Ayrshire, Dumfries, Galloway and Inverclyde said:
“Our Local Employment Partnership initiative is working with employers to help them find the right people to fill their vacancies whilst ensuring that people at a disadvantage in the jobs market move into available opportunities. They include lone parents and people with a disability or health condition wanting to return to work.

“In return for employers opening up their recruitment opportunities, we will work with unemployed people, using a tailored range of support to prepare them for the jobs on offer.”

Mike Schafer, Chief Executive of the Dumfries House Trust, said:
“We are delighted to be working with Jobcentre Plus and developing our relationship through Local Employment Partnerships. We feel using the support, expertise and networks offered by Jobcentre Plus will assist us in getting the right people into the right jobs, giving potential employees meaningful employment and development opportunities which in turn will greatly enhance our business."

Employers who would like to receive further information on the range of support available through Local Employment Partnerships should contact Brian Wallace by email brian.wallace@jobcentreplus.gsi.gov.uk or by telephone on 01292 666226.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

Some of the measures Local Employment Partnerships may include for employers are:
Offering 2 - 4 week Work Trials to a given number (determined by the
employer) of local benefit claimants;

Offering a target number of places for New Deal participants wishing
to participate in the Subsidised Employment option, or wishing to take up work
experience or work placement;

Working with Jobcentre Plus and its partners on the design of pre-employment training to ensure that it is relevant to employers' needs, and agree, when hiring, to guarantee interviews or jobs to local benefit claimants who complete this training;

Encouraging employees to volunteer to provide one-to-one
mentoring for long-term benefit claimants to help prepare them for work;

Reviewing application processes to ensure that local benefit
claimants are not inadvertently excluded by, for example, requirements for
qualifications, or overly complicated procedures.

Further information on Dumfries House Trust can be found on the Dumfries House website: http://www.dumfries-house.org.uk/. Picture attached is of Dumfries House

For further information please contact:
For local information: Lynne Walker, A/district marketing manager for Jobcentre
Plus in Ayrshire, Dumfries, Galloway and Inverclyde.
T: 01292 666047 E: lynne.walker4@jobcentreplus.gsi.gov.uk

For all other media enquiries: Samantha O’Kane, Department for Work and Pensions press office Scotland.
T: 0131 222 5227 E: regional-press-office-scotland@dwp.gsi.gov.uk