The team behind a jobs fair in Belfast this week are hoping to help their community through the cost of living crisis. The Job Assist Centre, operating in West Belfast, say they have faced huge demand for their services in recent months.
The centre was established in 2003 to address long term unemployment and economic activity throughout the area. This week, they're hosting the West Belfast Jobs' Fair to help provide employment opportunities and support for those who need it.
It will take place on Wednesday, June 29, from 10am to 2pm at Springvale Employment and Learning on the Springfield Road. On the day, 18 employers will be there from a range of sectors including transport, health and social care, hospitality, community groups and more.
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Employability Mentors at the Job Assist Centre, Annette Bennett and Lisa Gallagher, told Belfast Live the aim of the event and the centre more widely is to provide a holistic approach to training and employment.
"Everything we do is person-centred. We're a community based and community run programme as part of Belfast Works and under the umbrella of the Upper Springfield Development Trust," Annette said.
"We're here to help people who have certain barriers to employment or maybe just have a lack of skills to get them prepared for employment."
Lisa added: "We run a parallel service - if people have issues with mental health, addiction, or they just need some financial advice, we offer that alongside.
"It's not about coming in and jumping straight into work if you don't feel you're ready, we have this service to build you up, to build your confidence and communication skills too."
Describing the people of West Belfast as resilient, the team said they have noticed more people coming to them with issues arising from the pandemic and cost of living crisis.
"Covid has knocked so many people's confidence," Annette explained.
"We've had people who were on furlough then let go. They were maybe in the one job for 20 years and are highly skilled, but things have changed, and what you would put in a CV has changed. It's about prepping people for that and increasing their confidence.
"There are a lot of mental health issues we've seen coming through because of the pandemic, and again with the cost of living crisis. But we've noticed our communities are very resilient, they're very quick to react to things and put coping mechanisms in place, and I'd like to think us here at Job Assist are just another one of those coping mechanisms.
"It's not just about the employability aspect, it's about supporting the whole person and their family."
Lisa said: "The cost of living is affecting everybody, even those working. It is hard for everybody, but it's just about facing your fear and taking that leap."
Annette said people are coming to the team at Job Assist with a range of anxieties relating to the current cost of living prices. Eager to get a job, she said many are also worried about taking away the safety net of benefits.
She added: "There is a fear of people wanting to go out to work and being anxious to come off the safety net of benefits in case something else happens, we fully recognise and understand that. I do think it's breaking down the barrier of that fear, because nobody wants to be left with nothing.
"I think that's every person's fear, not having the money coming in to help feed your family. But again coming out and getting a job, you're showing your children a good working ethos, you're building up your own confidence and your skills, and you're building up another generation who will value getting out to work to have that sense of 'I earned this.'
"I think that's very important, and it can prevent secondary and third level unemployment in families which we've seen across the years. We have a holistic approach for everybody, we're here to support everybody - nobody gets turned away."
If you can't make it to the West Belfast Jobs' Fair this Wednesday, the team at Job Assist have outreach centres across the West of the city. To find out more, you can click here.
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