A company specialising in getting mothers into the workplace has secured funding to help 50 unemployed Kingston mothers return to work.
The funding from the Mayor of London will also enable Successful Mums Career Academy to work with local businesses, providing free job advertising and training to attract skilled mothers into the workforce.
Successful Mums, which offers coaching to parents looking to find work or return to it after time away, is offering free places on its courses for up to 50 mothers based in Kingston. The courses offer training in various skills including CV preparation, interview techniques and personal branding.
Successful Mums founder Jane Knight said: “We help these mums get their mojo back.
“And what this will mean for local parents is that they’ll have a platform to get career advice and support, to get back to work that will be flexible and family-friendly.”
Training offered to employers will include online modules showing how to introduce flexible and hybrid working practices, helping attract qualified workers who are balancing paid jobs with childcare responsibilities.
Councillor John Sweeney, Kingston Council’s portfolio holder for business and leisure, said: “Every employer in Kingston – and in the country, really – is having the same problem: there’s a shortage of staff across the board.
“And this is an opportunity for them to look at a group of people they wouldn’t have considered a few years ago. So I think good employers will be looking at people on this scheme to meet their employment needs.”
Employers will also have access to advice on introducing policies to support workers going through the menopause. This is when people who menstruate stop having periods and become unable to get pregnant naturally.
Common symptoms of the menopause include hot flushes, difficulty sleeping, low mood or anxiety.
Knight said: “At any given point, a third of the workforce will be perimenopausal or menopausal. And at the moment, hundreds of thousands of those women are going off sick or leaving their jobs because they’ve got no support at work.
“So having a supportive employer that you can talk to about this and how you’re feeling, and about making small adjustments, will keep people in work and keep productivity going.”
To qualify for a free place on one of Successful Mums’ courses, applicants must verify that they meet the eligibility criteria, including being currently unemployed.
Interested mothers are encouraged to apply online or to email jane@successfulmums.co.uk for more information. Employers who would like to participate should email the above address or call 07761 615 371.
Both Kingston residents seeking work and local businesses seeking employees can also search for and advertise vacancies via the council’s Work Match scheme.
