New partnership in Oxfordshire driving employment outcomes

Debra Burnett • December 1, 2021

Social enterprise gets supported employment support from Ways into Work

We are delighted to announce the launch of 'Wood to Work'. This partnership project is an exciting new collaboration between Ways into Work, Oxford Wood Recycling and Oxfordshire County Council’s supported employment service, Oxfordshire Employment. The three organisations will focus largely on enabling residents in the South Oxfordshire area enter the world of work. Opportunities for employment include accounting, business, trade-based learning, administration and more.


Oxford Wood Recycling is an Abingdon-based social enterprise specialising in recycled timber and building materials, and high quality carpentry. The aim is to look closely at individuals’ personal and professional aspirations, existing skills, location, abilities and more and help determine the best possible opportunity at Oxford Wood Recycling, County Print Finishers – Oxfordshire Employment’s socially responsible printing service - and with other employers in the local area.


Becky Lawson, Managing Director at Ways Into Work, said: “We are delighted to be working alongside Oxfordshire Employment and Oxford Wood Recycling on this exciting new venture. We’ve long been working in Berkshire and Hampshire delivering supported employment and supported internships, and this project marks not only our first steps in Oxfordshire but our first collaboration directly with two very different and very successful supported business models. We are really excited about the opportunity this partnership brings to grow our collective impact and change even more lives one job at a time across Oxfordshire county.”

 

You can read the full story here: https://news.oxfordshire.gov.uk/new-partnership-to-help-more-find-employment/ or listen to the interview on BBC Radio Oxfordshire (at 1 hour 22 minutes, 48 seconds).

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