Sign up for five free initiatives which are making a positive difference to jobseekers

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WITH nearly three quarters of a million losing their jobs during the pandemic, 2020 has been a horribly tough year for workers.

If you’re finding your job search difficult, help is at hand.

Simon Squibb’s novel idea turns disused libraries into hubs for small businesses

Today we focus on five free initiatives which are making a positive difference to jobseekers, so sign up.

The Purposeful Project

IN the last decade 700 libraries have closed. Entrepreneur Simon Squibb launched The Purposeful Project to turn some into hubs to help budding start-up businesses.

The first has already launched in North London’s Belsize Community Library.

See purposefulproject.com.

Hugs UK

THE hospitality, travel and events sector has been hardest hit by Covid, so now the new Hospitality United Group Support is offering free coaching to get unemployed staff into work.

To find out more Email [email protected].

Kanya King launched an innovative new platform to combat a ‘scary under-representation of black talent’ in business

Meeow.co

WITH many young people fearing they’ll never land work, 20-year-old entrepreneur and influencer Alexa Wilkinson has launched this weekly jobs networking session for under-25s every Thursday at 7pm.

To register interest in sessions, connect with Meeow on their Instagram at @officialmeeow.

Alison.com

UPSKILL and train for free on this platform, with more than 2,000 courses from workplace skills to CV writing.

See alison.com.

Mobolise

MOBO Awards founder Kanya King has launched an innovative new platform to combat what she describes as a “scary under-representation of black talent” in business.

Currently just one and a half per cent of managers, directors and senior officials in the private sector are black, so the Mobolise initiative will link up black talent with forward-thinking employers.

See mobo.com/mobolise.

Donate your do

INSTEAD of the traditional festive bash, businesses are calling a “silent night” and donating the savings to charity.

Research by Beam, an initiative to find work for homeless people, revealed that fewer than one in four (22 per cent) intend to go ahead with a Christmas party as the virus crisis drags on.

Businesses are donating savings to charity rather than throwing the traditional Xmas work bash

Seventeen per cent are donating cash to a social cause, while a further seven per cent have staff who plan to do volunteer work instead of partying.

Beam founder Alex Stephany said: “It seems like Christmas is now the most altruistic time of the year.”

Head to beam.org to support the group’s Donate Your Christmas Party campaign.

Get your kicks

HUNDREDS of small firms have been given the go-ahead to provide Kickstart placements to unemployed youngsters.

Many of the largest companies in the country already offer work experience through the scheme, which was launched to create new job placements for 16 to 24-year-olds on Universal Credit at risk of languishing on the dole.

Hundreds of small firms have been given the go-ahead to provide Kickstart placements to unemployed youngsters

But after backing from the Department for Work and Pensions, SMEs and even sole traders can now offer the placements too.

Mike Cherry, chairman of the Federation of Small Businesses, said: “Small businesses can be the ideal environment to nurture talent.”

See fsb.org.uk/campaign/kickstart-scheme.html.