An Island charity is celebrating the one-year anniversary of an adult learning initiative which is helping people return to work.
Pan Together exists to support and provide a community hub for the residents of East Newport.
The Island's most deprived area, 94% of locations in England are more affluent than Pan.
With funding from Sovereign and the Isle of Wight Council's Adult Community Learning team since May 2022, the charity has run free drop-in sessions in its IT room every Wednesday from 9am to 3pm.
The sessions are aimed at people wanting to brush up their skills and/or get help with their CVs and/or are thinking about returning to work after a break.
No booking is required and if people are interested, they just pop along to Downside Community Centre, Furrlongs.
In the last 14 months, 21 people have been supported into work or have decided to return to education.
Jobs secured include a bus driver, admin assistant, supermarket and shop worker roles, labourers, a care worker, school kitchen staff and cleaners.
Laura Byrne, Pan Together's employability project lead, said:
"We are absolutely delighted (to have) helped so many people to gain skills and return to work.
"We're grateful to our funders for making this project possible.
"It really is making a vital difference when the cost of living crisis is hitting local residents so hard".
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