David Lammy, Member of Parliament for Tottenham and Minister for Skills, visited the Employment Resource Centre yesterday and commended the organisation for its efforts in getting the Jewish Community back to work. The visit was in response to an invitation from the ERC offering the Minister for Skills an opportunity to see the centre and find out more about the work that the ERC is doing to help and advise unemployed people within the Jewish community.

During the visit David Lammy met Trisha Ward, the chairman of the ERC,as well the Centre Manager, Marilyn Kantor and volunteer advisor, Emma May. In addition, David was able to speak to Janice Oliver, a former client of the ERC, who spoke with emotion and passion about the valuable help the ERC had given her to help her get back to work.

Speaking about his visit to the ERC, David Lammy MP commented:

“It is crucial that government and the voluntary sector join forces to provide people with the skills needed to get back to work and make sure that London remains a world class economic leader. That is why I am pleased to see that the Employment Resource Centre is achieving excellent results within the Jewish Community.”

“As the Member of Parliament representing a large Orthodox Jewish Community in Tottenham, I understand the difficulties this community can often face in finding employment. The ERC is a fantastic organisation providing a much needed service to members of the Jewish community.”

Trisha Ward, Chairman of the ERC added:

“We are pleased to have been able to welcome the Minister for Skills to the Centre and we very much hope that he found the visit both useful and interesting. The Government recently announced plans for a closer worker relationship with the voluntary sector in getting unemployed people back to work. We believe that the ERC is an innovative service that could be replicated by other communities throughout the UK.

“Being unemployed can be a very difficult and uncertain time in a person’s life so the confidential support and advice offered by the ERC is a much needed life line for those seeking work.. In the current economic climate it is important that as many people as possible are aware of the services we can offer those looking for employment.”

The ERC was founded in 1991 and has helped over 7,000 unemployed Jewish people back to work. The ERC provides professional support and training to those who have been made redundant, are under threat of redundancy, recent graduates, those needing to make a career change or wanting to set up their own business, as well as returners to work, after raising a family, following divorce or caring for dependants.

If you think the ERC can help you or someone you know, or you want to help the Centre, call 0208 883 1000 or visit www.ercentre.org.