A PIONEERING campaign for smarter working practices is backing a scheme that is helping lone parents back into work.

The Work Wise North-East campaign aims to consign nineto- five work days to history, promoting such practices as flexible working, mobile working, remote working and working from home.

Royal British Legion Industries (RBLI) has pledged its support to the campaign to radically alter working practices across the region to provide greater opportunities for people who rely on its services.

RBLI is related to the Royal British Legion and works to provide support, advice and guidance for people with disabilities and health conditions to get back to work.

Its Lone Parents project is bringing practical help to people, often in deprived areas, to steer them into the world of work.

RBLI engages with partners in the community such as community centres, parent and toddler groups and Jobcentres, to find people who need help. Advisors provide one-to-one assistance to each parent, to help them make the transition to work.

The advisors work flexibly and do much of their work from home, the sort of approach that Work Wise believes is important to create 21st Century workplaces suitable for people from all backgrounds and abilities.

The project covers Stanley, Consett, Chester-le-Street, Bishop Auckland and Spennymoor.