With unemployment levels in the UK set to soar as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, charity and social business Catch22 and Australian employment company Angus Knight have teamed up to create a new venture – Jobs22.

Jobs22 will design programmes, using the experience of Catch22 and Angus Knight, to help those who face barriers to employment find work.

Angus Knight provides employment and training for individuals and communities across Australia. Their hugely successful work with the charity Life without Barriers, uses technology and highly personalised support to help disabled people, and those with injuries, return to work.

Catch22 runs a number of pioneering employability programmes, including:

• Bright Light: a programme run with The Children’s Society which provides training and support for care leavers to find employment
• Digital Edge: a programme funded by Microsoft which opens pathways into digital apprenticeships for people facing barriers to employment
• The Social Switch Project: funded by Google.org, the project teaches young people skills in social media management to harness their skills for good.
• The Barclays Connect with Work programme: which helps people 16+ facing barriers to work find education and employment opportunities. It supports high-growth businesses and entrepreneurs, including clients and suppliers, to open up to new talent.
• Inspiring Families and The Family Works Programmes: these are voluntary employment support programmes delivered by Catch22 on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions. They support local people in the communities of Islington, Haringey, Enfield, Newham, Tower Hamlets, Havering, Barking & Dagenham and Waltham Forest who are part of families with complex barriers to gaining employment.

Chris Wright, Chief Executive Officer of Catch22, said:

“Catch22 has a strong track record of delivering employability contracts and working with vulnerable communities to help them find work. This new venture allows us to take our local knowledge and experience in delivery and the expertise of Angus Knight, to help rescue the thousands of people who find themselves jobless in the current climate.”

“There is a great fit between the organisations; we share the same values and are absolutely committed to helping young people through this current crisis – and beyond.”

Angus Knight Group Chairman, Michael Hobday, said:

“Angus Knight Group is very excited to be joining with Catch22, a well respected and experienced provider of services across the UK in forming Jobs 22.  The UK is entering a difficult period where many talented people will be seeking a job. Jobs 22 will be there to assist and support them to quickly re-enter the work force.  We believe that no one organisation has all the answers to getting people back to work, that’s where Jobs22 will be different, it will bring together the strengths of both the for profit and not for profit sector to get Britain working again.”

The collaboration with Catch22 builds on Angus King Group’s recent acquisition of Learn Plus Us, a London based skills business.

Chris Wright added:

“Whatever services we’re delivering, we’re always looking at how we can do things better and differently. Public services are not being delivered as effectively as they could be – and that’s largely down to too much bureaucracy and not enough focus on the needs of those who use the services. There’s a huge need – and therefore a huge opportunity – to do thing differently in employability. We hope Jobs22 will be at the forefront of getting the people of the UK back to work.”

Ends.

For more information or comment, please contact: melissa.milner@catch-22.org.uk / 07734824610

Jobs 22 is jointly owned by Catch22 and Angus Knight.

About Catch22

Catch22 is a social business, a not for profit business with a social mission. For over 200 years we have designed and delivered services that build resilience and aspiration in people and communities. We operate in employability, justice, education and young people and families services.

About Angus Knight

Angus Knight Group (AKG) is an Australian owned group of companies providing Employment, Training, Technology, Health and Outreach services throughout Australia and the United Kingdom. Founded by Duncan Angus in 1991 with the motto Enhancing Lives, the AKG now has 11 separate companies focussed on providing services to disadvantaged Australians and British including indigenous and people with a disability.

Catch22 employability testimonies

Employer (Architect firm) working with Catch22’s employability team to recruit for an administrative role:

“We really cannot thank Catch22 enough for its support and we will certainly be using them again for any future hiring needs. Their values of supporting young people and their commitment to offering a personalised service are hard to come across and have helped [our company] in ways we hadn’t even considered!”

Martin was supported by Catch22 to secure an apprenticeship with South Liverpool Homes as part of the Barclays Connect with Work programme:

“Thank you for all the help and support you have given me finding work again. I felt very low about being out of work, but meeting [you] picked my mood up and it felt like only a matter of time before I would finally get a placement.

“You’re very motivated and made me feel motivated. I cannot thank you enough for the fantastic service. You helped me out more than you know.”