New scheme supports people struggling to find work
BBCEx-offenders, care leavers and young people with mental health challenges are being helped into work by partnership between businesses, a charity and the government.
The Economic Inactivity Partnership aims to provide work for 500 people, andbrings together 12 businesses that have a strong presence in the West Midlands, with five government departments and the West Midlands Combined Authority.
The scheme was announced at Coventry's Severn Trent Academy by Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister Darren Jones.
Care leaver Lyla Grace said working at the water firm had given her structure "and a sense of belonging".
The customer contact trainer said being employed at Severn Trent had been "really positive".
"I'd applied for over 60 roles. I wasn't hearing back or if I was hearing back, once they found out I was a care leaver, I then wouldn't hear back after that."
Asked how her life had changed in three years since she had been at the company, she replied: "So if I look at 17-year-old me, I would not speak to anybody at all.
"I wouldn't even get on the bus because I was too scared and now I'm living in a privately rented home, I've got my driving licence. My life is just amazing and that's thanks to Severn Trent."
Potential employees will be matched with businesses with help from charity ReGenerate.
On Thursday, when the partnership was announced, the government said it would work with charities and businesses.
A key regional business in the partnership was Birmingham Airport, and the Coventry event was attended by some of the UK's biggest employers including John Lewis, Kier Construction and Greggs, the government said.
It said West Midlands Jobcentre Plus, Severn Trent and Amazon were building a shared talent pool between partnership businesses, enabling people to be fast-tracked from a placement at one employer into a suitable job elsewhere.
A Timpson worker, ex-offender Stacey Shallcross, said she felt like she owed "a lot" to the firm "giving me that second chance", adding it had helped her grow as a person.
"I've got a beautiful family, I've got a beautiful wife that I've been married to for four years that I met through [the company]... and just in general life's great."
Follow BBC Coventry & Warwickshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
