We’re now called The Initiative, explained Stuart Callison, Deputy Chief Executive. “As we as Gorbals, which includes Hutchesontown, we are working in Govanhill and Toryglen and have been given the green light to extend out services to East Pollokshields, Strathbungo, Langside and Battlefield. This is part of the Community Planning Process which we expect will be included as part of the City Council’s own structures.”

Shop front premises are being opened in May at 8-34 Prospecthill Road, Toryglen and have been given the green light to extend our services to East Pollokshields. And a shop front site has been secured in Victoria Road opposite the Queens Park Station to serve Govanhill. The main working base for The Initiative will remain in the Adelphi Centre, Gorbals adjacent to Gorbals Leisure Centre.

Each of the three main areas will be colour coded on all The Initiative’s literature with Gorbals being maroon, Govanhill being hyacinth and Toryglen being gold. All leaflets and information sheets have been rewritten in plain English and some ethnic languages including Turkish and Arabic.

As a not-for-profit-social employment and enterprise agency, The Initiative invites people living in the areas It covers, to drop in. If they want help to look for work, to find the right training or to apply for jobs and prepare for interviews. “In the last ten years, The Initiative has found jobs for over 4000 people in our original Gorbals area, added Stuart. “We are not going in blind to the new areas. We are aware of the needs and sensitivities and will be working closely with different partners to bring the knowledge and experience of our 75 staff to the new communities we will be working in.

“Govanhill has 40% of it’s residents with an Asian background compared to only around 1% of Gorbals residents. “It is a unique challenge,” said Stuart. We aim to build up trust and so far, we think we’re ahead of the game, added Candy Munro Chief Executive, “The whole new image and the extension of our work is really very exiting. We look forward to being of help to even more people”.

Part of the marketing strategy will include texting people with information about The Initiative’s service. It is great to be moving to new areas and it is nice to have fresh image.” She co-ordinated the task of devising a new image which took around four months to complete. “We all think it has been very worthwhile,” added Donna.

The Initiative, which is based in the Adelphi Centre, Gorbals, employs 75 people with half of them living in the area. One of their recent success stories has been Jim, who at the age of 59 felt he had few skills to offer an employer and was sure his age was against him. But his Solutions Advisor found him a place on a six-week training programme through Working for Health in Greater Glasgow (WHGG).

He was provided with financial support and his benefits situation was clarified. With the skills and self confidence he developed during the programme, he was offered a job interview – his first after many months of trying on his own. And he got the job! Now working as a hospital porter at the Victoria Infirmary and continuing to be in touch with The Initiative’s advisor, Jim said, “At my age I thought I’d never work again. Now I’m doing something I really enjoy and I feel I can make a real go of it.”

This news story was published by Local News for Southsiders. If you have a story that you would like published, then please phone 0141 226 4898 or email yam@sol.co.uk