A jobsbus will be visiting Stone every Thursday from 22nd March to help local people who are thinking about starting or returning to work.  The jobsbus is a partnership initiative between Jobcentre Plus, Staffordshire County Council and Nextstep Staffordshire.

Specialist Jobcentre Plus and Staffordshire County Council advisers will be aboard the jobsbus from 9.30am to 3.30pm to offer information on training opportunities, vacancies, job search and in-work benefits.

Joy Hall, manager of Stafford Jobcentre Plus, said:

“Advisers will be aboard the jobsbus to give people expert support and guidance in finding and keeping a job. Extra help is available for lone parents or people with a health condition that affects the work they can do.

“We also have a state-of-the-art computer package available for people to use which will help them decide their best careers options. It asks them a series of questions and diagnoses suitable careers choices; we can then match this up to local vacancies and training.

“Anyone who is looking for a job is welcome aboard for a one-to-one chat about their circumstances without any obligation.”

The jobsbus also does weekly visits between 9.30pm and 3.30pm to

• Burntwood High Street (outside the library) every Monday.
• Anglesey Crescent in Hednesford every Tuesday
• Market Square in Rugeley every Wednesday

Anyone unable to attend the Jobcentre Plus mobile office can obtain details of current vacancies by calling Jobseeker Direct on 0845 6060 234.  Lines are open from 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday and 9am to 1pm on Saturdays.  The textphone number for people who are hearing or speech impaired is 0845 6055 255, alternatively, use this website.  Internet access is available at libraries throughout Staffordshire – including Stone – free for the first hour then at a reduce rate for benefit recipients.

Notes to editor:

The Staffordshire Jobsbus is a partnership initiative between Jobcentre Plus, Staffordshire County Council and Nextstep Staffordshire.  The aim of the jobsbus is to improve the community in Staffordshire by encouraging the move from welfare to work and contribute towards the aim of its partners.  It has been in operation since 1999 and provides advice on employment, training, education and careers.

For further information about the jobsbus timetables contact Michael Hood or Denise Grime on 07971 994 124.

Jobcentre Plus, part of the Department for Work and Pensions, brings together employment and benefit services for people of working age and is a key element in the Government's objectives to help people based on ‘Work for those who can, support for those who cannot’. It provides a professional and modern service to meet the diverse needs of employers and those seeking work, including:

• Personal advisers to provide practical support and advice to help those in need find and keep work, including training provision and benefits guidance
• A dedicated service to support employers in filling their vacancies quickly and successfully, including the ability to place jobs online
• Ability to search for jobs both online and over the phone through Jobpoints in Jobcentre Plus offices, the Jobseeker Direct phone line and through the website
• Swift, secure and professional access to benefits for those entitled to them.
  
  

Customers can access Jobcentre Plus services through around 1,000 locations across Great Britain, including over 800 newly refurbished Jobcentre Plus offices. Touch-screen terminals and Customer Access Phones are also available in a further 120 sites such as libraries and local authority premises. Jobcentre Plus works with over 275,000 employers to place 17,000 people into work every week. Over 400,000 vacancies are listed each week on its website and more than 4m job search requests are received, making it the number one UK recruitment website.

Media enquiries 0121 626 2992 or 07876 546583 – Jo Carroll
Out of hours  07659 108883
Public enquiries 020 7712 2171
Website  www.dwp.gov.uk