DEWSBURY-based social housing kitchen manufacturer Rixonway Kitchens has made a commitment to help get people into work.
The company said it supported the Government’s autumn spending review commitment to get the 7.3m “workless” adults under 65 back into employment.
And it is also recognising the need to provide opportunities for people who are disadvantaged in the workplace.
Operations director Nick Greenall said more than 10% of the firm’s employees have been recruited through alternative routes supporting workers with disabilities, mental health and learning difficulties, the young and long term unemployed.
Said Mr Greenall: “Long-term worklessness is damaging for society and is further exacerbated during a recession, both in its social ramifications and the cost to the taxpayer.
“Businesses need to recognise alternative pathways to employment to support the various requirements of the long term unemployed.”
Rixonway has employed four workers through the Worklink scheme, a local employment service set up by Kirklees Council to support disabled adults into suitable work placements.
Twenty years ago, Rixonway employed two employees with learning difficulties through the Government’s Pathways scheme. Those workers are still with the company today.
Jobcentre Plus and A4e, a public service employment support scheme, have provided 25 and four employees respectively to Rixonway.
Youth training scheme KYT provided five employees aged 16 to 18 to work in the sub-assembly department while completing a college wood work course.
Recently, Rixonway has introduced a new partnership with the Back to Work scheme by Mental Health Matters.
Mental health issues affect one in three people working in the UK at any one time. Nearly 2m adults living in England accessed specialist mental health services between April, 2008, and March, 2009, according to the National Mental Health Development Unit.
Among Rixonways’s employees, Graham, 35, from Wakefield, accessed the Aspire to Work programme through Mental Health Matters and was offered a work placement with Rixonway in the packing and service department.
James Poppleton, Graham’s support worker at Mental Health Matters, said: “Working improves self-esteem and most people can contribute to society, like Graham. They just need support and certain provisions set out with the employer before employment commences.”
Russell Townend, manufacturing manager, said: “Graham provided valuable support to the team during the summer period. He has a great sense of humour and has learnt many useful skills. If a position became available and Graham was suited to the role then we would consider him.”
The Yorkshire and Humber region was ranked fifth in a table of worklessness with 363,000 workless households.
Said Mr Greenall: “Rixonway is serious about combating worklessness and, as such, has implemented a number of schemes to encourage and support employees from the diverse population in Kirklees.”
