A new campaign showcasing how Work Coaches are helping jobseekers back into work through a government website has been recently relaunched by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
The campaign aims to increase usage of the JobHelp website, as well as raising awareness and increasing uptake of the Work Coach support, government skills, employment and support programmes and training courses available to those eligible.
DWP’s ‘jobs army’ of Work Coaches, including 13,500 additional recruits taken on since the COVID-19 pandemic hit, are using online resource JobHelp to tackle unemployment in the UK.
The JobHelp website opens up the expertise of DWP Work Coaches to jobseekers who are unable to claim Universal Credit (UC), while offering UC customers an online resource to refer back to throughout their job search.
Over 58% of Black Asian Minority Ethnic workers have had their employment affected since the start of the pandemic, compared to 47% of white workers. Bangladeshi’s are most affected with 80% reporting a change in their employment circumstances, compared to 58% of Pakistani’s; and 55% of the UK’s Indian population. [1]
Furthermore, women across all ethnicities have been disproportionately affected compared to men. Overall, 52% of women have seen their employment affected as a result of the pandemic compared to 45% of men. This includes 70% of Asian women, who have reported a loss in income or change to their employment situation. [2]
Among those impacted was 21-year-old Tamanna Begum from Birmingham, who lost her job in March 2020. After being unemployed for almost a year, Tamanna had begun to feel disheartened. “It can be the worst feeling in the world,” shares Tamanna. “You spend so much time on your application, and think it’s going well – but then you don’t hear anything back.”
But things started to change when Tamanna met Raj, a DWP Youth Employability Coach, who was tasked with helping Tamanna find work. With over 30 years of experience, Raj is an experienced Work Coach and knew exactly what to do. “My job is extremely rewarding,” says Raj. “I love being able to make a positive change by helping people move forward in their lives.”
Raj helped Tamanna by first identifying the strengths and weaknesses of her CV. She used the JobHelp website to find the latest tips and guidance and worked with Tamanna to make necessary improvements. Packed with tips on everything from how to craft a perfect CV to perfecting video interviewing skills, the JobHelp website is a good place for jobseekers to start their job search, particularly as the economy starts to pick up.
“As restrictions ease, organisations across the country will increasingly be looking for new people to join them. If you’re applying for work, the JobHelp website can help you find these vacancies and support you with every stage of your application,” says Mims Davies MP, Minister for Employment. “We know this has been a challenging time, but we are serious about supporting Britain’s workforce as we build back better.” For more information about JobHelp, visit https://gov.uk/jobhelp
[1] Sewell Race Report
[2] Sewell Race Report
Image credit : Christina, Unsplash
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