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Supported Enterprise showcased at Volvo

10:10am - 27 May 2022
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Leader of the Council, Councillor Jordan Linden, took a whistlestop tour of Volvo facility in Motherwell, to see first-hand the positive impact our supported enterprise service is having across local communities.

He enjoyed a quick pit-stop at the new café, which opened its doors for breakfasts this week. The café is staffed by our job coaches and young people, giving them hands-on experience in a working environment helping them secure experience for future employment roles in the hospitality and catering industries.

Our service provides vital support for people with disabilities and those facing challenging barriers to find employment.

The council leader then met Rhys Dingwall (18) who attended Buchanan High School and who’s currently on a No Limits work placement with Volvo. He heard about Rhys’s journey into work and spoke to both the Volvo and supported enterprise teams about their roles in supporting young people.

Councillor Linden said: “I really enjoyed my visit today and to see and hear first-hand how our supported enterprise service is transforming lives across North Lanarkshire.

“The service provides vital support to young people who face barriers finding employment and helps them every step of the way. It was great to speak to Rhys and hear about his path to finding a job and watch him at work.

“We can’t achieve these successes alone - it’s a real partnership effort and Volvo is an excellent example of a business that’s committed to supporting people in its community. I would encourage more businesses to get involved in providing brighter futures for our young people.”

Donella Duff, Supported Enterprise Manager, added: “In the true spirit of partnership working, Volvo has provided our service with the excellent opportunity of opening our training café. Our café aims to create training and development opportunities for the people we support on our various programmes, enabling them to develop and enhance their skills within a real working environment

“Our team is dedicated to supporting young people, many of whom are still in school, to gain the skills and experience they need to find work. From the expertise of our employment co-ordinator and job coaches to the hard work and skills of our young people – it all counts. We’re creating pathways to work, opening doors to employment and providing secure futures.”

Karen Anne Duffy, HSE & Sustainability Manager, Volvo, has been involved with the supported enterprise service since the partnership began over 5 years ago. Karen said: “At Volvo, we believe people can change the world, and our experience with the teams at North Lanarkshire Council has reinforced our belief that there are truly no limits to what people are capable of. Seeing the progress that Rhys has made over the past year has been incredible and we are delighted to be able to support him through an apprenticeship and watch his career take off.”

If you’re a business and would like to find out more about our service, please contact Gail McKee, Employment Co-ordinator, mckeeg@northlan.gov.uk.

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Page last updated:
27 May 2022

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