A local employment and wellbeing support organisation has partnered with Liverpool Philharmonic to address the unemployment challenges in the city region.
Transform Lives Company (TLC) was set up in 2013 with the goal of helping people to find work and feel better. Since then, TLC have gone on to help over 700 people who would have typically fallen through the cracks of mainstream support, working with them to improve their wellbeing, increase their opportunities and develop their skills.
Liverpool is doing better when it comes to unemployment levels, which is a real positive. However, the official unemployment count – which is close to the national average – hides the real level of unemployment, which puts Liverpool as the 7th worst in the UK at 11%, due to those claiming incapacity benefit and ESA, or who are economically inactive.
More than half of real unemployment is ‘hidden’, and many of these people are a long way from getting back into work: it is these people who TLC typically seek to support.
TLC’s flagship, award-winning programme, Give Get Go, was developed in 2015 with the University of Liverpool. Designed to work with partners to deliver maximum social impact, the programme allows people to gain work experience in a low-pressure environment with volunteering opportunities, build a routine and plan for the future, all while improving their general wellbeing.
Give Get Go also prepares people for work, with CV support, mock interviews, and learning the secrets of the ‘hidden jobs market’, where around 80% of vacancies are filled, but which many long-term unemployed people are unaware of.
TLC have now partnered with Liverpool Philharmonic to provide a Guaranteed Interview Scheme for participants of Give Get Go. This is the latest step in Liverpool Philharmonic’s long-standing commitment to bettering the community, adding to the organisation’s wide range of social initiatives to improve mental health, nurture talent, promote inclusivity and much more.
As job vacancies continue to climb to a record high, the Guaranteed Interview Scheme helps both candidates and employers take advantage of the hidden jobs market; by partnering with organisations such as Liverpool Philharmonic, TLC are able to match businesses in the Liverpool City Region with quality local talent that may have otherwise gone untapped.
Tracy Fishwick OBE, Managing Director of Transform Lives Company, commented:
“We think it’s a crying shame that people still live unfulfilled lives, either with or without work. One of the things people tell us about time and again is how we help them feel better and give practical support to find work.
“We know the value of feeling more connected and valued, building self-belief and confidence. Having the Liverpool Philharmonic join our Give Get Go partnership sends a strong signal to local people that they matter, and as a result we can support more people in the coming years – from new volunteering opportunities to guaranteed interviews.
“It’s brilliant to be working with such an iconic place in the city and one that obviously cares.”
Michael Eakin, Chief Executive of Liverpool Philharmonic, said:
“As part of Liverpool Philharmonic’s mission to enhance and transform lives through music, we are committed to being a truly inclusive employer, including at the recruitment stage.
“Liverpool Philharmonic’s new partnership with Transform Lives Company to deliver a Guaranteed Interview Scheme for its participants is an exciting opportunity to reach and engage with more local people who could potentially work with us.
“We are always looking for creative and motivated people from a wide variety of backgrounds and we look forward to meeting participants of Transform Lives Company programmes in the near future.”
As part of the legacy of their various employment support programmes, Transform Lives Company have just launched the ‘TLC Talent Pool’, a socially responsible way for businesses to recruit new staff. Through their sizeable networks of both local business connections and work-ready candidates, TLC aim to match talent to opportunity, and encourage employers to make a real, tangible difference to someone’s life.
The next Give Get Go programme begins on 13th September, 10.00am – 12.00pm, in Blackburne House, Blackburne Place, L8 7PE. Get in touch with our team for an informal chat on 07748 817260 or teamtlc@transform-lives.org.