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Neriesha’s business LIFTS off!

Published: 08/06/2016

Flintshire Communities First continues to work hard to provide employment and training opportunities for local people. The LIFT programme is a Welsh Government scheme to provide, by the end of 2017, 5,000 training and employment opportunities across Wales for people living in households where no-one is in work. The programme is not aimed at those who are temporarily out of work but focuses on those who have spent more than six months out of work. It is for those people who face the greatest barriers to becoming employable, which includes young single parents, adults with few or no formal qualifications, people with poor employment records and disabled people. Research shows that people in households with these characteristics are much less likely to gain employment than others. Neriesha Coathupe joined Lift in June last year. She lives in Shotton and had been on benefits for over 3 years. She had previous experience employed as a childminder, her children are now grown up and she felt she was now ready to start her own childminding business from home. Flintshire County Council Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Councillor Derek Butler, visited Neriesha recently and said: “This is a fantastic Welsh Government scheme that the Council is more than happy to support – getting people into work and training is a key Council priority. We wish Neiesha the very best of luck in her new venture.” About her time on the LIFT programme, Neriesha said: “It has been a long road to start my childminding business but with the support and help from my LIFT mentor, I have been able to keep going and achieve my dream. There are a lot of organisations out there but LIFT is unique with its one to one support, this has been key to me starting my business. If anyone would like more information, please call me on 0787 6133340.” If you are interested in joining Lift and meet the criteria set out below, please feel free to contact us on : 01244 846090 or email Debbie.barker@flintshire.gov.uk Criteria: Unemployed for 6 months plus Live in a Communities First area Live in a workless household From the left: Debbie Barker, FCC, Bentley, Neriesha Coathupe and Councillor Derek Butler, Cabinet Member for Economic Development