Employment expert Anthony Burdis is bringing his skills to a top team helping people back into work in County Durham through a comprehensive package of support.
He is the new employment liaison officer at Bernicia, part of the L!NKCD project pooling the talents of community-minded organisations and training providers, supporting people in County Durham to overcome obstacles to employment.
Sunderland-born Anthony has a total of 22 years’ experience in the employability training and housing sectors – ideally placed to help people out of work for a long period and struggling to find their way back into a job.
L!NKCD was launched in 2019 and is part funded by the European Social Fund as part of the 2014-2020 European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme in England. It is led by Employability Durham, supporting unemployed people in County Durham aged 18 and over with multiple barriers to employment.
“My job is to help people who are not in work or training to get back into work giving them the relevant skills to do so, the encouragement they need and the motivation to get them an interview to secure that job,” said Anthony.
“People get stuck in a rut and it’s not that they can’t do the job, it’s that they may have lost the confidence to get work or don’t feel they have the skills needed.
“I can help with CV writing and interview skills through to setting a framework where they can gain nationally accredited employability qualifications, in sectors including warehousing, food hygiene and contact centre skills.
“It’s about showing people that I’m not just there to tick a box, I care and want to do everything I can to help them achieve the job that they want or get the new skills they need to change career.”
Anthony will be working closely with the Northern Learning Trust charity – who work with disadvantaged people with complex needs to improve their lives – providing specific employability training.
The L!NKCD programme offers one-to-one guidance to identify and address barriers and promote wellbeing, while links are also made with other local organisations that can provide extra support.
Mentoring sessions are usually offered in community venues, but the team has adapted the way they work to ensure they continue to operate during the pandemic. This includes offering support via phone, email, video conferencing and social media.
The ultimate reward for Anthony and the L!NKCD team is seeing people get back into employment.
“That’s the real sense of achievement for me, to see people realise what they can achieve with positive reinforcement, to break the cycle of benefits,” he said.
“It’s not just the economic benefits that employment brings, it’s the feeling of self-worth, the social skills you develop working with people and the positive impact on mental health with all that brings.”
Anthony can be contacted for support on Tel: 07483 371108 or at Anthony.burdis@bernicia.com
European Social Fund
L!NKCD has received £2m of funding from the European Social Fund (ESF) as part of the 2014-2020 European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme in England. The Department for Work and Pensions is the managing authority for the England ESF programme. Established by the European Union, ESF funds help local areas stimulate their economic development by investing in projects which will support innovation, businesses, skills development, job creation, social inclusion and local community regenerations. For more information visit: https://www.gov.uk/european-growth-funding
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