Capitalising in the Capital

A new partnership is in the pipeline between homelessness agencies in London and Clean Slate to collaborate on temp and temp-to-perm work opportunities and employers are now being sought to create placements.

Clean Slate was invited to join the Homelessness Employability Network last Autumn and talks have progressed to the feasibility stage and could see a pilot project get off the ground by the new financial year.  The Network – which includes major homelessness charities St Mungos, Crisis, Homeless Link and Thamesreach – is considering ways to pool resources to approach mainstream employers in the capital seeking paid work for service users.

“It’s getting very exciting,” Clean Slate Managing Director, Jeff Mitchell, said. “I presented figures that showed that we could break even within three years but members of the group felt that there were opportunities we could create together that Clean Slate couldn’t dream of on its own. It could mean that we have a good number of employers on board within 12 months. On the other hand, while those opportunities have been latent for a while, it’s taken an ambitious and entrepreneurial spirit like that embodied by Clean Slate to capitalise on them. The partnership feels exactly right.”

The target is to create paid work placements for up to 100 homeless people by the end of 2012 in London. One employer has already given an in principle pledge of a large number of hours on the strength of a contract they have around the Olympics this summer. Clean Slate now wants to hear from employers interested in playing a part in the solution to long-term unemployment.

Clean Slate operates as an employment business and places workless people with employers as 'temps' for anything from half a day a week to full-time paid work. Temp Workers have already been placed in roles such as reception, customer service, facilities, repairs and maintenance, painting and decorating, cleaning, accounts, cash collection, driving, stewarding, hospitality, distribution, packing and delivery work. They can fill short-term staff shortages or be supplied on a 'try before you buy basis'. As well as meeting their own organisation needs, employers have seen working with Clean Slate as an opportunity to deliver on a broader social mission or corporate social responsibility agenda.

If you’re an employer, could you take on someone who’s been long-term unemployed? All Temp Workers are carefully matched and only appropriate candidates are put forward. There’s little risk and any hassle is outweighed by the reward. Costs are negotiable. Contact us here

Posted on 27th January 2012 by Jeff Mitchell