Last week we welcomed 450 people to our Durham Employment Connections (DEC) Job Fair at the Seat Unique Riverside Cricket Ground in Durham.
The event, which was sponsored by Waythrough, was a welcoming and inclusive job fair designed to connect job seekers with a diverse range of employers across industries.
Michelle Scott, IPS Lead for County Durham Drug and Alcohol Services (CDDARS), which is managed by Waythrough, also serves as Chair of Durham Employability Connections (DEC). Michelle was thrilled with how well the event went:
“The turnout today has been more than I can imagine and is a true testament to the work DEC have done to make this event happen.
“This event has opened up a wide range of job opportunities to people all over the region. IPS is about inclusivity and we’ve designed this event to be accessible to all whatever issues they are managing, including a quiet hour for neurodiverse individuals.
“Everybody who has come here today knows about the diverse needs of our clients. The employers who have come here today all have robust inclusive employer policies and equal opportunities policies. People don’t have to explain their issues over and over, they can just have a conversation about work. and that’s something that’s never been done before."
Tracey Carson, Project Support Officer for DEC, organised the event, making sure all attendees felt supported:
“We wanted to make sure there weren’t any barriers stopping job seekers from attending the event. We were able to support people by putting on free transport from the surrounding areas which was arranged by the teams from The Cornforth Partnership and the North East Combined Authority (NECA). Without this support people would not have been able to get to the job fair.
“We were also able to give attendees were actual job interviews at the event. While this speeds up the process of them finding work, it can be quite stressful. To help, we gave people access to mental health support workers, employment advisors and a Clinical Solution Focused Therapist offering free pre-interview confidence booster sessions.
“Durham County Cricket have been amazing too. They’ve opened up their sensory room so people can feel relaxed as looking for jobs can be stressful and this helps them relax.”
Craig Richardson is someone who has benefitted from this level of support. Craig is neurodiverse and has been able to find work as a Project Assistant for Bridge Creative.
“I’m a Project Assistant. I help out at festivals and venues and support with the organisation.
“I find events like this helps a lot. I can meet people who can support people like me and it’s good to know that there are people out there who care.”
Craig’s manager Paul Cornish, added:
“We work in a company who supports neurodiverse people with employment.
“I’ll support Craig with interactions and make sure he’s not getting stressed.
“People sometimes don’t know where to go to find work and the job centres can be intimidating, especially for neurodiverse people. They can get quite stressed and it limits their ability to get jobs. Things like this are more comfortable. It really builds up confidence.”
The event offered over 600 job opportunities across a wide range of sectors including tech, healthcare, financial services, retail, law, hospitality, catering, education, construction and more.
Rhianna Naylor, an Employment Advisor from Mental Health Matters said:
“It’s a very inclusive environment, especially with the neurodiversity hour. I’ve been able to invite my own clients and walk around with them, talk to people from different companies and look at different opportunities for people to get into work.”
Deborah Maddison, Talent Acquisition Advisor Northumbria Police, agreed:
“Events like this get us out in the community so people can realise the roles that are available. We can signpost them to how we can support them find the right job for them.”
Bethany McNaught, Learning Engagement Officer at RE:GEN Academy was able to tell people about their skills bootcamps to help people get into construction:
“It’s so busy which is fantastic. There are so many employers and opportunities. We’re able to get vacancies and training opportunities in front of people who don’t even know they’re out there. It’s great to see so many people taking advantage of it. I’ve spoken to a lot of people already that are interested in the bootcamp.”
Michelle Scott, went on to emphasise the importance that DEC plays in driving inclusive employment:
"It's a principle at the very heart of IPS. The work carried out through DEC is instrumental in promoting this vision and in creating opportunities to connect with like-minded employers who share the same commitment.
"Both CDDARS and Waythrough fully recognise the value of this network and are dedicated to investing the time and effort required to actively support DEC. From planning and organising through to hosting the Job Fair, the level of commitment involved has been fantastic and we really appreciate the collective effort.
"Without the sponsorship of Waythrough and the ongoing support of the IPS team, events like this would face significant challenges. We are deeply grateful for the strong involvement and commitment from both CDDARS and Waythrough, which make it possible for such impactful events like our recent fair to take place."
DEC is a collaborative partnership formed to connect, strengthen, and empower the local employment and skills sector in County Durham. By bringing together key stakeholders, they’re working towards addressing labour and skills shortages, supporting local businesses, and helping residents access employment opportunities.
To find out more about DEC and future events like the Jobs Fair and their employer forums, visit www.durhamemploymentconnections.co.uk.
Waythrough offers support to people affected by various challenges. Find out about our vacancies, benefits, values and services across England. To find out more, visit www.waythrough.org.uk.
Last week we welcomed 450 people to our Durham Employment Connections (DEC) Job Fair at the Seat Unique Riverside Cricket Ground in Durham.
The event, which was sponsored by Waythrough, was a welcoming and inclusive job fair designed to connect job seekers with a diverse range of employers across industries.
Michelle Scott, IPS Lead for County Durham Drug and Alcohol Services (CDDARS), which is managed by Waythrough, also serves as Chair of Durham Employability Connections (DEC). Michelle was thrilled with how well the event went:
“The turnout today has been more than I can imagine and is a true testament to the work DEC have done to make this event happen.
“This event has opened up a wide range of job opportunities to people all over the region. IPS is about inclusivity and we’ve designed this event to be accessible to all whatever issues they are managing, including a quiet hour for neurodiverse individuals.
“Everybody who has come here today knows about the diverse needs of our clients. The employers who have come here today all have robust inclusive employer policies and equal opportunities policies. People don’t have to explain their issues over and over, they can just have a conversation about work. and that’s something that’s never been done before."
Tracey Carson, Project Support Officer for DEC, organised the event, making sure all attendees felt supported:
“We wanted to make sure there weren’t any barriers stopping job seekers from attending the event. We were able to support people by putting on free transport from the surrounding areas which was arranged by the teams from The Cornforth Partnership and the North East Combined Authority (NECA). Without this support people would not have been able to get to the job fair.
“We were also able to give attendees were actual job interviews at the event. While this speeds up the process of them finding work, it can be quite stressful. To help, we gave people access to mental health support workers, employment advisors and a Clinical Solution Focused Therapist offering free pre-interview confidence booster sessions.
“Durham County Cricket have been amazing too. They’ve opened up their sensory room so people can feel relaxed as looking for jobs can be stressful and this helps them relax.”
Craig Richardson is someone who has benefitted from this level of support. Craig is neurodiverse and has been able to find work as a Project Assistant for Bridge Creative.
“I’m a Project Assistant. I help out at festivals and venues and support with the organisation.
“I find events like this helps a lot. I can meet people who can support people like me and it’s good to know that there are people out there who care.”
Craig’s manager Paul Cornish, added:
“We work in a company who supports neurodiverse people with employment.
“I’ll support Craig with interactions and make sure he’s not getting stressed.
“People sometimes don’t know where to go to find work and the job centres can be intimidating, especially for neurodiverse people. They can get quite stressed and it limits their ability to get jobs. Things like this are more comfortable. It really builds up confidence.”
The event offered over 600 job opportunities across a wide range of sectors including tech, healthcare, financial services, retail, law, hospitality, catering, education, construction and more.
Rhianna Naylor, an Employment Advisor from Mental Health Matters said:
“It’s a very inclusive environment, especially with the neurodiversity hour. I’ve been able to invite my own clients and walk around with them, talk to people from different companies and look at different opportunities for people to get into work.”
Deborah Maddison, Talent Acquisition Advisor Northumbria Police, agreed:
“Events like this get us out in the community so people can realise the roles that are available. We can signpost them to how we can support them find the right job for them.”
Bethany McNaught, Learning Engagement Officer at RE:GEN Academy was able to tell people about their skills bootcamps to help people get into construction:
“It’s so busy which is fantastic. There are so many employers and opportunities. We’re able to get vacancies and training opportunities in front of people who don’t even know they’re out there. It’s great to see so many people taking advantage of it. I’ve spoken to a lot of people already that are interested in the bootcamp.”
Michelle Scott, went on to emphasise the importance that DEC plays in driving inclusive employment:
"It's a principle at the very heart of IPS. The work carried out through DEC is instrumental in promoting this vision and in creating opportunities to connect with like-minded employers who share the same commitment.
"Both CDDARS and Waythrough fully recognise the value of this network and are dedicated to investing the time and effort required to actively support DEC. From planning and organising through to hosting the Job Fair, the level of commitment involved has been fantastic and we really appreciate the collective effort.
"Without the sponsorship of Waythrough and the ongoing support of the IPS team, events like this would face significant challenges. We are deeply grateful for the strong involvement and commitment from both CDDARS and Waythrough, which make it possible for such impactful events like our recent fair to take place."
DEC is a collaborative partnership formed to connect, strengthen, and empower the local employment and skills sector in County Durham. By bringing together key stakeholders, they’re working towards addressing labour and skills shortages, supporting local businesses, and helping residents access employment opportunities.
To find out more about DEC and future events like the Jobs Fair and their employer forums, visit www.durhamemploymentconnections.co.uk.
Waythrough offers support to people affected by various challenges. Find out about our vacancies, benefits, values and services across England. To find out more, visit www.waythrough.org.uk.
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