This month, Rotary clubs in Bromley Borough launched phase two of its Rotary Work Club.
Following on the back of a successful initial launch last October, the Rotary Work Club is expanding its reach to help the unemployed in the area.
Last autumn, the eight Rotary clubs in the London Borough of Bromley worked together to offer free online learning opportunities to people in the town who were out of a job, or who felt at risk of unemployment.
During that pilot phase, participants learned useful skills to help them to gain new employment or to start a business.
Christine Atkinson
Christine Atkinson from Bromley Rotary was one of those behind the idea. She said: “The COVID-19 pandemic is having a well-publicised and devastating impact on employment and businesses.
“The Rotary Work Club was created to help job-seekers gain fresh employment or start a business even against this background.
“The participants included people who hadn’t had an interview in 20 years, some who found application forms hugely challenging, and some who had been told they lacked confidence or enthusiasm at interview, but without being given any advice on how to improve.”
Christine described phase one as a success as the team of Rotarians and volunteer professionals delivered a much-appreciated series of online workshops.
Following on the back of a successful initial launch last October, the Rotary Work Club is expanding its reach to help the unemployed in the area.”
Some of the participants have already found work, and credited the Rotary Work Club for adding to their approach and confidence.
The Mayor of Bromley, Councillor Hannah Gray, added her support to the initiative, saying: “I believe the Rotary do amazing work and are often unsung heroes, so please find something that I can do and I would also like to thank everyone involved.”
Liam Carlisle, Chairman of the London and South East Forum of Credit Unions, is also behind the initiative and will be joining in a Phase 2 session which kicked off earlier this month and runs until February 25th.
The COVID-19 pandemic is having a well-publicised and devastating impact on employment and businesses.”
“Launching ‘Phase 2’ in 2021 means that we can reach out to more of the growing and constantly changing audience of people in need that we set out to help,” added Christine.
“The session content has been deliberately made modular and portable so that other people in other areas can use the model created by Bromley’s Rotary Work Club to serve more people in local areas.
“More Rotary areas in the UK and beyond, and more professional volunteers, are coming forward and showing interest in continuing and expanding on this work.”
