New telephone to help job seekers find work (From Gazette Series)

New telephone to help job seekers find work

JOB seekers in Dursley are now able to benefit from an innovative service linking them to a job centre.

Jobcentre Plus and Gloucestershire County Council have joined forces to help job seekers in the area find the right job.

A new freephone telephone has been installed in the town's temporary library in Castle Street, which links job seekers directly to the nearest Jobcentre Plus office and also to Jobseeker Direct, the national job vacancy bank.

Job seekers had been forced to travel to Job Centres in Stroud, Yate or Gloucester since the Parsonage Street office was closed in March, despite fierce opposition to the closure.

"This is great news for the people of Dursley," said Gloucestershire County Councillor Margaret Nolder (Lab, Cam and Dursley).

"It just goes to show that by offering services like this, Dursley library really is at the heart of its community. The Jobcentre Plus website, like all others, can be accessed through the free computers available at the library. I'm sure the phone line will become a real asset to all those in search of employment."

Cllr Dennis Andrewartha, also a Gloucestershire County Councillor for Cam and Dursley (Lib Dem), said: "Initiatives like this at Dursley library are invaluable to local people and with the opening of the new library they will get better and better.

"I would recommend anybody who isn't a library member to go along meet the friendly staff and take advantage of all the services on offer."

It is hoped that the Jobcentre Plus service will transfer to the new May Lane library when it opens later this year.

The Jobcentre Plus website can be found at www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk and provides help with job search tips. Jobcentre Plus services and information on benefits that people may be entitled to claim are also available on the website.