M&S can be your buddy (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

M&S can be your buddy

THE manager of Marks and Spencer in Swindon has said he welcomes the new Marks & Start initiative which aims to offer work experience to people in the town who might otherwise face barriers to getting a job.

The scheme is the biggest of its kind in the UK and is now recognised as the company's flagship community initiative.

Over the next three years, more than 10,000 two to four week work experience place-ments will be made available in stores across the UK, including Swindon.

These will be offered to school children, including those from deprived areas, disabled people, parents returning to work, the young unemployed, the home-less and students 'who are the first in their family to go to university'.

Within the next year, the company aims to give some 600 individuals in the region the opportunity to work in one of their stores.

Said Martin Woodhouse, Marks & Spencer Swindon Store manager, said: "It is very exciting to be launching the Marks & Start employability programme, which will offer work experience placements for to up 10,000 people across the UK.

"We are delighted that the Swindon store will have the opportunity to participate in such a scheme it is a great chance for our store to both support the local community and give the team here the chance to develop their mentor-ing skills.

"Going forward, we hope to have greater involvement in Marks & Start, and look forward to welcoming people to our store from Swindon and the surround-ing area who have faced diffi-culties gaining access to employ-ment."

The programme is also intended to develop the skills of Marks and Spencer's own employees.

Each participant is allocated a 'buddy', an M&S employee, who will act as his or her mentor.

According to Luc Vandevelde, chairman of the high street giant: "Marks & Start will open the door to employment for thousands of people who face particular challenges getting a job.

"Being a mentor to someone who's homeless, unemployed or has disabilities can be both challenging and motivating and the experience will develop the skills of our people."

Six individual strands will comprise the initiative, tailored to meet the needs of its target group, but all will include the following

Two to four week placements

The allocation of an M&S employee as a mentor

And the provision of travel expenses, lunch, a uniform and a reference.

Marks and Spencer has joined a number of charities to the programme, including The Prince's Trust, DisabledGo, Business Action on Homeless-ness, One Parent Families and Parentline Plus.