City mums who suffered months of misery with unemployment now just a call away from a job

GOVERNMENT-FUNDED THREE-WEEK PROGRAMME HOPES TO GET LINDA AND JODIE BACK INTO THE WORLD OF WORK

- By NIGEL SLATER

TWO Derby mums have spoken of their daily struggles of being unemployed - but say new hope is around the corner.

Linda Edwards and Jodie Price are now just a single phone call away from ending months of misery of not having a job.

They told of their circumstances at an event in Derby which saw East Midlands Mayor Claire Ward launch her mission to get 60,000 “real” people - like Linda and Jodie - into work.

Linda and Jodie told the Mayor how a work placement with East Midlands Railway (EMR) organised by Jobcentre Plus has given them a new lease of life.

Both parents were placed on a three-week Government-funded Sector-based Work Academy Programme (SWAP) in a bid to boost their skills and confidence.

The SWAP courses give job-seekers who are 16 and over, and claiming benefits, the opportunity to apply for jobs.