STAFF and volunteers at Cumnock Jobcentre are hosting a number of programmes and projects to help people back to work.

They also work with partner organisations, such as the NHS, to support people with health conditions who are offered advice and guidance to get back to work.

Healthy Life At Work is a course which focuses on such issues and what type of support there is to assist in overcoming this along with employability support.

Skills Development Scotland are also involved with regular group information sessions held in collaboration with Jobcentre staff.

Pace & Purpose+ is aimed at 18 to 24-year-olds, while My World Of Work targets the 30 to 49 age group and helps develop IT skills for those in their 50s.

Ayrshire College also help deliver motivation and confidence courses such as Shine, Elevate and Rise.

Cumnock Academy, East Ayrshire Vibrant Communities and the college also help support the Me2U programme.

This helps customers from across the range of benefits, focussing on those longest out of the job market.

Feedback has been positive with around 70 per cent of those who have participated finding employment.

Other job opportunities are on their way, with the new superschool bringing employment including guaranteed apprenticeships for around 20.

Planning permission has also been granted by East Ayrshire Council for building to start on the vacant plot where the Glaisnock Shopping Precinct stood.

Another possible jobs boost could be through Auberne Homes, who have been given the go-ahead for a new development of houses in Cumnock.

A spokeswoman for Cumnock Jobcentre said: “There is a jobs fair taking place in Cumnock on August 23 focussing on the construction sector to coincide with the start of the new superschool build, which is now thought to be in November.

“We also ran a sector-based work academy to assist Hargreaves Production with recruitment for dump truck operatives for surface mining.

“Four people who were interviewed on the first day attended an induction before training at the company site in Skares for four weeks.

“One participant gained employment with another company, one moved away from the area and two customers, Alex and Stuart, successfully completed the training and started work on with Hargreaves.

“The company is happy to have recruited two new employees and is now planning to run another sector-based work academy for in the next few weeks.”

Unemployment figures for June in East Ayrshire show that there has been a slight drop — one per cent — on last year’s, from 2,425 to 2,415.

Since 2010 however, they have fallen from 4,102, which is a 41 per cent decrease.

Statistics are based on those who are on Jobseekers Allowance or are searching for work on Universal Credit.