New CAP Job Club is launched in Lower Shankill

Monday January 9th 2017

Launching the new Lower Shankill CAP Job Club, are, from left: Janet Spence (Lay Ministry Associate), Heather Carson (Job Club Manager), Emma Jackson (CAP Area Job Club Manager) and Stephen Whitten (Church Army, North Belfast Centre of Mission).

The Church of Ireland Lower Shankill Ministry Team is launching free clubs to help people get back into work.

Members of St Michael’s, St Stephen’s & St Luke’s Parishes, working in partnership with the Church Army, are aiming to help their local community to find employment in tough economic times by offering free weekly workshops.

These will support people hunting for jobs by equipping them with the tools, skills and confidence to find work.

Job Club Manager Heather Carson, wife of the Rev Canon James Carson, Minister-in-Charge, will be leading the workshops.

Heather said: “With more people facing long-term unemployment, there is a real need for a personal service which provides practical and emotional support for people to find work again. CAP Job Club is designed to do just this.”

Christians Against Poverty (CAP) Job Club will be a weekly drop-in with breakfast, computers available for job searches, assistance with completing job applications, and printing facilities etc. A free eight week course will also be available combining one-to-one consultations, group support and practical sessions that cover topics such as identifying strengths, CV writing, interview techniques and practice.

“We hope that we can help people to gain the confidence and skills they need to find employment, particularly for those who may have been out of work for a long period of time,” Heather said.

The job club will run weekly starting on Wednesday January 18 at 9.30am in St Michael’s, Craven Street, BT13 1JJ.

Church of Ireland in Lower Shankill joins more than 100 churches of different Christian traditions across the UK who are running CAP Job Clubs, as they work together to positively impact the communities around them. There are three other CAP Job Clubs in Belfast, in Rosemary Presbyterian Church in North Belfast, Willowfield Parish Church in East Belfast and Lowe Memorial Presbyterian Church in South Belfast.