More than 5,000 supported by Cheshire and Warrington employment scheme

More than 5,000 people living in Cheshire and Warrington have taken their first steps into work, education or training thanks to a free voluntary support programme.

Rachael Jackson, from Macclesfield, is just one of the many people who has been helped through New Leaf. She was unemployed and homeless following a ten-year battle with alcohol addiction but is now starting to turn her life around and is telling her story to encourage others to sign-up.

New Leaf is about helping people get a new start and take the first steps into employment. Participants work one-to-one with an expert mentor to work out what they want to achieve and then work together to achieve it. The support is personalised and allows people to work around their existing commitments.

Of the 5278 people that the programme  has already supported since it launched in 2016, 881 have already gone into employment, with a further 733 going into further education or training. 

The team behind New Leaf is now calling for more people living in Cheshire and Warrington, to register interest for support from the programme.

Andy Rawlins, project manager for New Leaf said: “Everybody’s journey into employment is different and it can be a daunting experience for those who have been out of work for a period of time, especially for people who may be lacking in confidence or facing personal challenges such as with finances, heath issues, disabilities  or addictions.

“New Leaf is about you and for you – your mentor will work with you on the steps that are right for you. Our expert mentors really care and will really listen so you can be assured you will get the best support possible.

“We’re proud of the fact that we’ve been able to help thousands of people in Cheshire and Warrington with those important first steps, and we’re keen to continue supporting people.

“If you think we can help you, or someone you know, please get in touch to find out how our team can help.  We’re can help you access training and qualifications, improve your overall confidence and ultimately help get you into work or training that is suited to you.”     

Rachael’s story

Rachael Jackson, 41, from Macclesfield, has been on a transformational journey since she approached the service for support in 2021.  A former hairdresser by trade, Rachael found herself in dire straits, having become unemployed and homeless following a ten-year battle with alcohol addiction. 

Rachael approached New Leaf for help and was referred to Making Space, New Leaf’s partner service for psychological wellbeing support.

After achieving six months of sobriety with guidance from trained professionals, Rachael became eligible for support from a qualified New Leaf mentor. With this combined support and guidance, Rachael has now been sober for 18 months and is continuing to turn around her difficult circumstances. She’s since secured a home, has rebuilt relationships with her friends and family, and completed various training courses in mental health and wellbeing.

Rachael said: “I was against accepting support to begin with. But gradually I came to realise things needed to change for me. New Leaf has been part of a major turning point for me. 

“I had very bad anxiety and there were a lot of things that I feared on a daily basis, I struggled with a lot with tasks that many people do naturally without thinking about it.  With New Leaf, I’ve been able to face some of my fears. I am still working on things, but I now have the essential tools to be able to put in place little achievable goals and I haven’t been judged at any point during the programme.”   

“I’m now exploring options in terms of work and have already been offered some voluntary opportunities including working with young people and supporting prison leavers.  Helping others is something I’ve taken a keen interest in during rehabilitation and I’ve just recently been doing some work to support children of families who are affected by addicts. 

“Having been there myself, I know what the challenge can feel like and what impact it can have on others. The most important thing that anybody struggling with addition can do, is to be really honest with yourself and with others, and then connect with people for help. Don’t be ashamed.  I have a lot of gratitude for New Leaf and the connections and opportunities it has introduced me to. I’m still working at plenty but I can honestly say it definitely works.” 

New Leaf is free voluntary programme that supports unemployed people living in Warrington and Cheshire who need extra help and support to get them into or closer to employment.  To be eligible for the programme you must: 

• Live in Warrington or Cheshire
• Have the right to live and work in the UK
• Not be currently working
• Need extra help to get into employment

For more information: 

https://newleafcheshire.co.uk/ 

New Leaf is delivered by Torus Foundation and its partners. Torus Foundation is the charitable arm of Torus, the North West’s largest affordable homes provider. The programme is one of several local projects into which Torus reinvests the group’s commercial profits, to help bring people living in Cheshire and Warrington closer together, and to change lives.

Pictured - Rachael Jackson from Macclesfield.