Westfield Resource & Enterprise Centre
Address:
Westfield Lane, South Elmsall, Near Pontefract WF9 2PU
Co-ordinator: Louise Cutts or Lorraine Reading
Telephone: 01977 723320
E-mail: westfield@wakefield.gov.uk
Introduction to the Centre
The Westfield Resource and Enterprise Centre was set up to assist the development of facilities and resources in the southern end of Wakefield District, with two aims.
The aims were:
1. To provide advice and information on starting businesses, unemployment problems, redundancy, careers guidance and to provide cheap, rentable space for new businesses.
2. To provide, informal educational opportunities, aimed mainly for the out of work.
In 1986 this area of the District has a particularly high level of unemployment, together with a poor take up of conventional educational courses. These were major factors in the decision by the Authority to set up the Centre. It was hoped that the educational activities of the Centre would stimulate interest in other more formal fields of education, possibly leading to a greater employment prospects. The area still has a high level of unemployment and is recovering from the closure, both of South Kirkby and Frickley pits. Enrolment on courses, both informal and more formal qualification courses has increased beyond any expectation, not just at Westfield, but also at Minsthorpe Community College and Upton Village Hall. As a part-time worker at the Centre we would welcome your involvement in both the general workings of the Centre as well as your own particular area.
Aims of the Education Provision
- offer informal educational opportunities to the unemployed, unwaged, underemployed or part-time workers
- progression to further education or training
- increasing skills and self confidence
- coping better with unemployment
- improving their employability
- to assist unemployed people in understanding the social and political context of unemployment
- to help unemployed people develop knowledge, skills and attitudes which will help to use their increased "leisure" time
- to enable unemployed people to create their own opportunities/livelihood
- improving an individuals quality of life and thereby enriching the community where they live
Target groups are unemployed men and women of all ages including:
- people given redundancy or early retirement
- young unemployed people
- women wishing to return to work or education after caring for families
- part-time workers, who want a change of direction or re-training for full-time work