Council’s Equal service is on the move
North Ayrshire Council’s Equal service is moving to Kilbirnie – and there are some exciting plans in the pipeline.
The Equal programme is a supported employment service that guides people with long-term health conditions and disabilities into work and training.
It comes under the banner of North Ayrshire Council’s Employability Service’s Your Next Move, Working North Ayrshire programme.
And it offers a wide range of tailored support to get people back into work, start work for the first time or take a step up the career ladder.
The team is leaving its office in the Trinity Church annexe building in Irvine for a brand new base – with more space, providing better outdoor opportunities and enhanced facilities in modern surroundings – at Lochshore Park in Kilbirnie.
The Equal Programme delivers training for employment opportunities in horticulture and cycle maintenance, which bring wider recreational opportunities for all to enjoy whilst visiting Lochshore Park.
The service is expecting to be up and running at its new Lochshore home in February. You can get updates by following the council’s social media channels and by following Equal Supported Employment directly on Facebook and on LinkedIn.
Quote: The Equal programme team do a great job in supporting residents living with various health conditions and disabilities to find suitable training and work. Clients who have been used to visiting them at Trinity Church may be concerned about the change of location, but they can rest assured that the facilities at Lochshore will be in a fantastic environment.
Quote from: Councillor Tony Gurney, Cabinet Member for Green Environment and Economy
To continue supporting as many people as possible in communities across North Ayrshire, Equal is also starting a new service in three Jobcentres from 12 February.
Advisers will be available to speak to members of the public at Irvine, Saltcoats and Kilbirnie Jobcentres on Wednesdays from 10am to noon.
In the run up to Christmas, Equal launched its annual Selection Box Appeal and this was a success, with 3,560 sweet treats being donated by 40 donors.
A total of 18 primary schools received donations along with the Children 1st and Barnardo’s charities and Carers Gateway North Ayrshire.
Councillor Gurney added: “I would like to thank all the local companies and organisations who made donations to the appeal. These donations might seem like a small gesture – but they make a big difference to families in need of support.”
North Ayrshire Council’s Employability Service delivers a range of support through its Your Next Move, Working North Ayrshire programme.
Contracted partners delivering Your Next Move, Working North Ayrshire include We Work for Families and CEIS Ayrshire, who all contribute to delivering a wide range of support to help individuals prepare and progress into employment.
Please note: To access any of the opportunities delivered by Your Next Move, Working North Ayrshire please email employability@north-ayrshire.gov.uk You can also find out how Your Next Move, Working North Ayrshire can help you with things like CVs, application forms, Modern Apprenticeships, paid work experience, interview techniques and secure employment.
You can follow the Employability team on Facebook at “Working North Ayrshire”. And you will find Equal as “Equal Supported Employment in North Ayrshire” on Facebook LinkedIn.
Published: 16 January 2025