For community equipment specialists Medequip, adding social value is an important consideration as part of the organisation's work in supporting many of the more vulnerable members of our society. Following a successful placement, Medequip has now welcomed the first candidate to join the company as a permanent employee under the auspices of Birmingham's highly successful PURE project.
The PURE project (Placing vulnerable Urban Residents into Employment) is the brainchild of Birmingham City Council and a group of eight providers including Midland Mencap, MIND, Birmingham & Solihull Women's AID, BID Services, Trident Reach, Fry Accord, Rathbone and Swanswell. Part funded by the European Social Fund, PURE brings together a range of coordinated interventions designed to assist the needs of the most vulnerable citizens with barriers into the employment market.
Medequip has worked closely with Birmingham City Council for many years, providing community equipment services to the people of Birmingham. Operations Manager for the West Midlands Jo Page has been involved with this project since early in 2020. We have been able to welcome a number of PURE candidates, despite a brief hiatus because of the COVID-19 lockdowns,
she explained. We were always convinced we had the right environment to support, mentor and guide individuals through to employment, education and training in line with the PURE objectives.
Manjit was one of the first people introduced to Medequip via PURE. Manjit has minor learning disabilities and had struggled in employment, not because of his own abilities but largely due to the inability of others to recognise his needs. Prior to joining Medequip in September 2020, Manjit had not worked for 12 years.
Manjit quickly became in important member of our team,
confirmed Jo. With some initial support, his confidence grew and he became an integral part of our operation. He is well respected by his colleagues and by the management team for his commitment and dedication.
Manjit himself is enjoying his new role and benefiting from the experience and the direction it gives to his life. He confirms that he feels safe and happy working with Medequip, enjoying the friendships with colleagues and looking forward to coming into work each day. Manjit is one of my most committed employees,
confirmed Jo. Involvement with the PURE project has had significant benefits for our organisation too, and we are considering permanent employment for others who have completed placements within the business.