Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Minister, Anne McGuire, launched A4e's Leeds Pathways initiative yesterday as part of the final phase of the introduction of the Government's flagship Pathways to Work programme.

Support

She visited business and employee support organisation A4e's new Pathways premises at Zicon House in the city to officially launch the scheme in West Yorkshire, and see how it is assisting unemployed Leeds people back into the workplace.

Mrs McGuire said the Pathways programme proved a significant difference could be made, even with long-term benefit claimants who were usually considered harder to help find employment.

"If the right support is offered, just as A4e is offering here, people can find out for themselves how much better off they are not on benefits," she continued.

She said Pathways to Work had so far helped over 100,000 people into work.

"Anyone on incapacity benefits throughout the country has access to a local Pathways service and I am delighted to see things working so well here in Leeds and West Yorkshire."

Choices

Sally-Ann Harding, district manager at A4e Pathways to Work, runs the new Leeds project.

She told Business: "Since opening our doors on December 3 last year we've seen more than 1,600 voluntary customers join our choices programme, and we have undertaken 1,200 Work Focused Interviews with our customers.

"The best news is that we have already helped more than 400 customers back into work."

A spokesman for the Department for Work and Pensions said that recent independent reports had found that both individuals and society as a whole were better off overall as a result of the Pathways to Work scheme.

It was estimated that for every million spent on the programme, £1.5m was returned through a reduced benefits burden and increased tax contributions.

Pathways to Work, which provides support from highly skilled personal advisers from the public, private and voluntary sectors, helps to ensure the long-term unemployed receive the specialist assistance they need to get back to work.

Return to Work Credits of £40 per week, paid for 52 weeks, are available to former incapacity benefit customers who start work and earn less than £15,000 a year.

Anyone interested in finding out more about the services A4e is able to offer them should contact 0845 423 2323 or A4e, Ground Floor, Zicon House, Wade Lane, Leeds LS2 8NL.


Anna finds road to recovery with alternative therapies


ANNA Rayner suffered a stress related illness but found the road to recovery with alternative methods such as aromatherapy, crystal therapy, reiki healing and meditation.

She responded so well to these that she soon felt ready to return to work after several years on incapacity benefit.

Recognising she needed help, she visited the Disability Employment Adviser at her local Jobcentre Plus, who pointed her in the direction of the Pathways to Work scheme.

Qualifications

Staff encouraged her to identify what interested her and, with their help, she realised that she would like to work in the very field which had benefited her so much - complementary and alternative therapies.

Just over a year later, and with the continued support of Pathways, she has gained relevant qualifications and experience.

She explained: "I was able to access courses in my area and gained confidence working as a voluntary reiki practitioner at the Robert Ogden Macmillan Centre, at St James Hospital, treating cancer patients and their carers."

Circumstances

As well as reiki, Anna is now also qualified as a massage therapist and crystal healer and has started her own business offering therapies at the Milun Women's Centre in Leeds and the North Leeds Therapy Centre and also for the employees of Centrica in central Leeds. She said: "It's really amazing what you can do with the right support; this last year has taught me that you are never on your own and that help is there if you need it, regardless of your circumstances – just go for it."