Roots aims to spread on to estate

AN award-winning project to help people find work, education and training is being rolled out on the St Mary’s estate in Oldham.

The Roots project, the brainchild of Liz Douglas, has been recommissioned by Contour Homes to help local people find work.

Ms Douglas, who has previously worked with Contour Homes in Bolton, will be working with residents to reduce worklessness and improve social and emotional development skills.

She said: “I am putting in place some personal development programmes which I hope will encourage people into employment, education, training or voluntary work.

“I can already see people are becoming more motivated and are setting new goals for their future.”

Recognition

Ms Douglas won the outstanding achievement prize in the Life Changers Awards earlier this year in recognition of her work with Roots.

Her team, which works with unemployed people aged 18 to 35 and those who have never worked, is looking at issues which prevent people from getting a job and teaching them new communication skills.