Training comes knocking on door

18:25 25th June 2009

A new scheme to help people get back into work is to start in Westminster.

From June 29th, around 6,000 residents in housing estates in the area will be visited by employment advisors, reports 24dash.com.

The aim is to get people onto things such as IT training courses or volunteering positions to help them find a job.

Door-knocking will focus on areas where there are high numbers of people claiming job-seekers allowance.

This initiative is part of the £2 million Westminster Works programme launched by the council earlier this year.

With the help of other local organisations, the scheme hopes to get 3,000 people employed within two years.

Councillor Brian Connell, Westminster's cabinet member for economic development, said: "We are working hard to remove the barriers that prevent people from finding a job, such as not having the right skills or [suffering from] low self confidence."

The scheme will offer housing, health and childcare as part of the package.

Meanwhile, Friends of the Earth has encouraged councils to build energy-efficient buildings and create 70,000 jobs in the process, 24dash.com reports.