NHS Trust offers training and qualifications for South Asians

South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust held information events at the Al Hikmah Centre this week to promote a special scheme that gives local people from South Asian backgrounds living in North Kirklees the opportunity to gain work based training and qualifications.

The Trust, which provides mental health and learning disability services to people in Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield, has been running the Positive Action Training scheme in North Kirklees for two years as a way of ensuring its workforce is representative of the population it serves.

Traineeships last approximately 11 months and aim to give participants the qualifications and workplace experience required to secure employment within the organisation.

The information events included presentations given by current trainees on the programme and gave local South Asian people the chance to find out more about the scheme and how to apply.

Human resources manager Claire Hartland said, "The Positive Action Training Scheme was a real success last year and we were delighted to be able to offer traineeships again this year. We currently have four trainees in either healthcare or administration who are working towards or have achieved an NVQ level 2 in health and social care, customer service or business administration. This will really open doors for them and we hope to see them gain employment within our Trust as a result."

She continued, "The information events generated a really positive response from South Asian people in the community and we’re looking forward to receiving plenty of applications for this year’s traineeships."

Anyone interested in finding out more about the Positive Action Training Scheme and the traineeships available should contact Claire Hartland on 01977 605303 or Louise Terry on 01977 605295.

The Positive Action Training scheme is delivered under Section 37(1) of the Race Relations Act 1976.