CHURCHES have joined forces with voluntary organisations and the public sector to help people who have lost their jobs due to the economic downturn find a new direction.

Unemployed people will be able to get practical help and advice on job hunting, CVs, interview skills, training and volunteering at a series of new weekly drop-in sessions called Signpost.

Advice on claiming benefits and housing issues will also be available and those attending will also have access to state of the art computers, job papers and emotional support.

The sessions are designed to help people who may be facing unemployment after a number of years in the same job and could be ill-equipped to cope as a consequence.

People attending the sessions will be able to draw on the skills of organisations including Darlington churches, eVolution, formerly the Council for Voluntary Service, Darlington Borough Council, Citizens’ Advice, Darlington Rotary and Darlington Housing.

The idea for the sessions came from a group of vicars who were discussing what they could do to help the community in the recession.

The move comes after figures released last month showed unemployment in Darlington had risen by 67 per cent in the eight months between July last year and February, with more than 1,200 new Job Seekers’ Allowance claimants registered in that period.

Canon John Dobson said: “It is entirely natural that the churches are getting involved. The churches are here to care for people in every part of life.”

He said the churches felt there was a need for the workshops because people had not experienced an economic downturn on the same scale since the mid-1980s.

“People who have been in the same career for 20 or 30 years are suddenly finding themselves made redundant. It can be very difficult for them as they have no experience of unemployment,” he added.

Karen Grundy, executive director of eVolution in Darlington, said: “It is also a place for people to socialise with others who are in the same circumstances. There is nothing like the support you get from talking to others facing the same situation as you.”

Signpost is to be held every Tuesday from Tuesday, May 12, at eVolution, in Church Row, Darlington, from 1pm to 4pm. For more information about the sessions, call eVolution on 01325-266888.