As soon as the funding for the MF OW is agreed the jobs and training opportunities arising from the OW will be advertised via local newspaper jobs pages, radio/TV/newspaper publicity, leaflet drops on Marsh Farm and by word of mouth on the estate. Advertisements will highlight the fact that the usual barriers to entry will not apply and will emphasise the social aims of the venture, making it clear that estate residents who are most in need of the jobs are not excluded.
Expressions of interest will be simple and straightforward. Applicants will be able to register their interest by telephone, in person at the Outreach or Turning Corners offices, by post or by email with home visits by MFO members if they are in need of support with any difficulties they may have in registering their interest – i.e. literacy, confidence or language issues.
Expressions of interest will be followed up by an informal one to one meeting with MFO or Turning Corners staff to obtain the following information:
• Extent and nature of any previous work experience, skills and qualifications
• What barriers to employment are there
• What specialist support requirements are needed
• What is the preferred area of work
• What are the second and third preferences for areas of work
The selection panel will then organise and facilitate a selection meeting to which all applicants are invited. At this meeting the process we are about to undergo will be outlined in full - the objectives, the method, the resources and support available, the potential benefits, the risks and the challenges. In the Marsh Farm OW formation of a single large community enterprise with membership made up of all participants takes place at recruitment stage.
In the event there are more interested candidates than there are full time work hours available for the duration of the 8 week workshop all candidates will be invited to take part in a ‘community self selection process’. This is a highly innovative and completely legal process used by the Marsh Farm Outreach team to maximise inclusion, ownership and empowerment of all candidates when our organisation was first formed in 2001. (MFCDT took legal advice from Anthony Collins Solicitors at the time)
The process will take a number of days and requires that all candidates attend and take part in people friendly sessions on the following aspects of self selection:
1. Induction on the social and economic objectives of the project
2. Skills and knowledge audit
3. Assessment of extent and type of work contracts available during the 8 week workshop
4. Match the vocational and technical needs of the enterprise to the skills and knowledge available - keeping the social objectives of the OW firmly in mind
5. Consideration of the job sharing option to maximise participation
6. Work/benefits induction (looking at economic impact of starting work for individuals in different circumstances)
7. Volunteering option
At the end of the process the participants will have decided:
a) names of 100 participants who will be working to deliver paid contracts during the OW (this includes a ‘reserve list’ to allow for up to 20% drop out rate)
b) names of participants who will join the workshop to strengthen and develop the voluntary arm of the new enterprise
