Contour Announce Employment Project

Contour Housing Group, one of the North West’s biggest housing and regeneration companies, is to offer 30 unemployed young people six months employment in what is believed to be one of the single biggest projects under the Government’s Future Jobs Fund initiative.

Ross Hemmings, Regeneration Investment Officer for Contour said: “This is a major commitment for the Group and places Contour as a significant regional partner in this nationwide initiative.”

The Future Jobs Fund managed by the Department for Works and Pensions is designed to ensure that 18 – 24 year olds gain a job placement. The National Housing Federation and Groundwork have been successful in bidding for funding for over 2,000 jobs nationally and Contour Housing Group’s role in this has just been confirmed.

Half of the recruits will be working as community reporters and philosophers in the Preston area and the remaining fifteen will be offered Community Fencing work in Oldham.

In Preston the trainees will be supporting the University of Central Lancashire who are working with Contour’s Callon estate on a bespoke piece of demographical research. The young people will learn the techniques associated with Contour’s ‘Very Philosophical’ brand, which uses enquiring discussion to engage local communities. They will also gain skills in interviewing techniques, video, social media and communication.

In Oldham, several small scale regeneration projects are planned and fifteen trainees will be working with Contour’s contractor Jackson Lloyd to develop fencing and associated building skills.

The next stage of this employment initiative will see the trainee vacancies advertised in the Preston and Oldham areas via the local Jobcentre Plus. Contour hopes to have selected the first fifteen trainees by January 2010.

“All trainees will have a fully supported training structure and will be expected to adhere to Contour Housing Group’s high professional standards,” said Ross Hemmings.

“Our commitment to this project will ensure that we employ local people to respond to local community needs and meet our core mission of creating great places to live.”