A mobile recruitment scheme has achieved its first milestone in the battle to get residents from three Bradford estates back into employment.

Since the Royds Community Association's Find and Seek Initiative was launched last month 100 people have been registered for the advice programme and 25 jobs have been awarded.

The initiative involves the Royds economic team working in Buttershaw, Woodside and Delph Hill, visiting unemployed residents in their own homes and staging regular advice sessions in youth and community centres.

By linking up with other outside agencies, such as the Employment Service, and touring the estates in the Royds exhibition bus - nicknamed Thunderbird 2 - the team is also able to provide daily information on the latest job vacancies.

Royds economic development officer Andy Greenough said: "The Find and Seek programme has been a considerable success in its early stages. We hope to build on this positive and fresh start to improve the link between those seeking work and employment vacancies which exist in the district."

Companies joining up to the scheme and agreeing to employ local residents include Bramalls Construction, The Main Event restaurant, Fernley Industries and The Glass Shop.

Andy said: "It has been great to get people of all ages straight back into work. But there are still a lot of residents who are not ready for instant employment for a number of reasons such as lack of qualifications - and that is the group we need to work on."

Funding for the Find and Seek scheme - which will initially run for six months - comes from Royds Community Association.

It has been awarded £31million worth of Single Regeneration Budget funding by the Government for a seven-year development project aimed at breathing new life into Buttershaw, Woodside and Delph Hill estates.

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