SOCIAL Bite has launched a new initiative to help revolutionise access to job opportunities for people who have experienced homelessness.
Through its new Job First programme, the organisation will work directly with some of the UK’s biggest employers to help break down the barriers people face on their route to employment.
The initiative, which guarantees living wage employment for each person, will provide wrap around support for both the employer and employee. It is being part-funded through a grant from the Oak Foundation.
To date, businesses including BaxterStorey, Mitchells & Butlers and Andron FM have signed up, with a plan to help create a target of 60 employment opportunities for people experiencing homelessness.
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Each Jobs First employee will also be allocated a support worker from Social Bite, who will assist them throughout the programme and their employment contract. This includes meeting weekly to offer practical support on bills and forms, as well as emotional guidance and confidence building to adapt to working life.
Employers will be provided with training from Social Bite to help them guide the employee, while the support worker will help facilitate appraisal processes and employee progress. Josh Littlejohn, CEO and co-founder of Social Bite, said: “Social Bite started life nine years ago by offering jobs in a small cafe to people who had experienced homelessness and over that time we have seen the power of employment to change lives.
“Too often, the response to people experiencing homelessness is to ‘get a job’ – however, it’s not that easy. Proactive employers stepping out of their comfort zone to provide chances for those who would otherwise be excluded and a wraparound support alongside the job are the solutions. That’s why the Jobs First programme is so important. We will match people who are excluded from the jobs market with some of the UK’s largest employers.
“The wraparound support we will provide will help both employers and employees enjoy a fruitful working partnership. At a time when the UK is facing a serious labour shortage, we are incredibly proud to be partnering with major employers to deliver a program of scale throughout the UK that can act as a blueprint for how we can provide employment opportunities for homeless and marginalised people.”
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