First step on road to employment

HAVE TRAINING, WILL WORK: Single-mother Jess Ross, 31, is training at Wairarapa Resource Centre in preparation for finding employment in the future. PHOTO/LYNDA FERINGA

With the help of Wairarapa Resource Centre, single-mother Jess Ross is learning everything she can to gain skills to find work in a store.

The 31-year-old mother of three children, Jacob, 11, and 6-year-old twins Darcey and Ricky, has been volunteering at the centre and preparing for employment for the past five months.

She has not worked since her first son was born, surviving on the solo-parent benefit since.

But she is adamant employment is in her near future.

"I haven't worked for a very long time but now the kids are at school I want to work."

She is preparing for a customer service job and said volunteering at the centre was an ideal way of gaining work experience.

Now she works eight hours a week as a volunteer but hopes to do more hours in the lead-up to gaining customer service employment.

"I just love it. Trudi is so supportive and teaching me more skills so I can get a job. This is the perfect place to learn. Everyone helps everyone else ... I hope I can get part-time work soon."

Centre manager Trudi Jones said they worked closely with volunteers who committed themselves to training to help them find work.

"Employers want staff who are dedicated and who they can rely on. We will help them find work."

Most of their clients have been on benefits, others are simply looking to re-enter the workforce. Young people who need experience are also supported. Some head out on the Tip Top truck with John Patterson, selling icecreams as they expand their experience, while others learn customer service skills working at the centre.

The centre also offers training through the E-Waste and TV Take Back programmes. In the past year they have placed about a dozen people into jobs locally.

Sometimes people just needed to build up confidence and, once they had, they helped train others coming through the door, Ms Jones said.

"There are people out in the community just needing to build their confidence to get back into the workforce ... a wide range of people."

The service is not only for job seekers. It extends to employers looking to fill casual, part-time and full-time positions.

Anyone needing workers or wanting to volunteer can call Ms Jones on (06) 377 2090.