The founder of The Big Issue magazine is launching a new jobs and training service for people hit by unemployment in the midst of the coronavirus crisis.
Lord John Bird has teamed up with jobs site Adzuna and online training organisation FutureLearn to offer help such as free or discounted training in areas such as digital skills.
The initiative is the latest venture by The Big Issue’s Ride Out Recession Alliance (RORA), which is campaigning to tackle unemployment.
Lord Bird said: “We set up RORA to aid and abet the Government and society to prevent mass homelessness caused by Covid-19 poverty. Talking about what is happening to the newly unemployed is no longer enough.
“Because we appreciate that things are tough right now, we want to help those facing unemployment with discounted and free training and thousands of job opportunities, all in one place.”
Susannah Belcher, chief operations officer at FutureLearn, said: “The Ride Out Recession Alliance is a fantastic campaign that we are proud to support.
“We’re on a mission to transform access to education in order to build a better future and, in partnership with The Big Issue, we’re aiming to connect valuable, in-demand courses with people who need the most support navigating the challenges of the current UK job market.”
Andrew Hunter, co-founder of Adzuna, said: “We’re a huge advocate of The Big Issue’s campaign to help the unemployed and those at risk of becoming unemployed to upskill, gain confidence and find their next job.
“Worryingly, the recession has affected lower-paid workers most severely and supporting these groups is vital. We hope to share our tools and tips for Big Issue subscribers and work collaboratively to provide more routes into employment for the millions of people affected by the pandemic.”
