How employment programme is benefiting Wear businesses
Sharon Davis, from childcare and play
service Tiny Treasures based in Seaham,
has grown her business with help from
DurhamWorks.
PICTURE BY TOM BANKS
The DurhamWorks employer grant
has helped over 50 small businesses
employ and support young people in
the past 12 months.
DurhamWorks is a partnership between
Durham County Council and seven
organisations, working together to support
young people, and to help them create their
future.
DurhamWorks offers:
• One-to-one support with a dedicated
member of the team.
• Help to progress into work,
volunteering, further learning, or
training.
• Opportunities to gain skills and
qualifications.
• Support with benefits, housing, and
childcare arrangements.
The DurhamWorks grant is designed
to help small employers create jobs for
unemployed 16-to-24-year-olds who are
currently on DurhamWorks.
The grant lasts for six months and offers
up to £2,500 towards salary costs. It cannot
be used to support apprenticeships.
Lots of small employers have already taken
up the offer and have received support to
help them to find the right young person for
their business.
Sharon Davis from Tiny Treasures, a
childcare and play service based in Seaham,
was able to employ an additional member of
staff with help from the scheme.
Due to the nature of the business, Sharon
required someone with a level 3 qualification
and who could drive. Although this was
challenging, DurhamWorks managed to
match a candidate. It has helped Sharon to
Business lifeline
continue growing her business.
Sharon said: “My business has
benefited from young people being part
of our workforce and I truly believe it has
developed in ways that would not have been
possible without them.”
The grant also helped Graham Robson
at Aztec Interiors in Consett to grow his
company. The DurhamWorks grant helped
relieve the financial burden of taking on a
new employee.
Graham added: “The employee has been
able to secure employment in an area that
he was interested in and this has motivated
him to continue in his employment journey.
I would definitely recommend the grant to
other employers.”
As well as providing funding, the
DurhamWorks programme supports the
new employee and employer throughout the
whole process.
Carole Harris from Consett Pets and
Aquatics Centre contacted DurhamWorks
after a busy spell and required more staff to
help out.
Carole said: “Having dealt with
DurhamWorks before, I contacted them, and
they helped me access an employer grant to
enable me to take another employee on.
“The process was simple, quick and efficient
and I was lucky enough to employ someone
who already had some experience to bring to
the shop, but who was also keen to undertake
more training to widen their skills base.”
Employing a young person has many
potential benefits for small business;
providing a cost-effective way to address
any future skill needs as well as introducing
fresh ideas and enthusiasm to an existing
workforce.
Jonathan Tait, from Certax Accounting in
Newton Aycliffe, said: “Access to the grant
was really easy and helped us to employ a
university student and gave us the time to
train them.”
If you are a small business, the
DurhamWorks grant could help you employ
talented young people who can add value to
your company.
DurhamWorks’s dedicated team offers
support to ensure you find the right young
person for your business.
To find out how your organisation could benefit from funding and support
through DurhamWorks, call 03000 262 930, email [email protected]
or visit durhamworks.info/employers
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