New UK campaign to boost uptake of Work Coach support in job search

A NEW campaign has been launched to showcase how Work Coaches are helping jobseekers back into work through the JobHelp website.

The initiative by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) targets to increase awareness about the Work Coach support, government skills, employment and support programmes and training courses.

The department has recruited 13,500 additional Work Coaches since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic and they are using JobHelp to tackle unemployment in the UK, a statement said.

The website opens up the expertise of 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.

According to the statement, over 58 per cent of black, Asian minority ethnic (BAME) workers have had their employment affected since the start of the pandemic, compared to 47 per cent of white workers.

Bangladeshi’s are most affected with 80 per cent reporting a change in their employment circumstances, compared to 58 per cent of Pakistani’s and 55 per cent of the UK’s Indian population, data shows.

Besides, 52 per cent of women have seen their employment affected due to the pandemic compared to 45 per cent of men. This includes 70 per cent of Asian women, who have reported a loss in income or change to their employment situation.

Among those impacted was 21-year-old Tamanna Begum from Birmingham, who lost her job in March 2020. DWP Youth Employability Coach Raj helped Tamanna by first identifying the strengths and weaknesses of her CV.

He used the JobHelp website to find the latest tips and guidance and worked with Tamanna to make necessary improvements, the statement added.

“My job is extremely rewarding. I love being able to make a positive change by helping people move forward in their lives," said Raj, who has over 30 years of experience.

Mims Davies MP, minister for employment, said: “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.

“We know this has been a challenging time, but we are serious about  supporting Britain’s workforce as we build back better.”