Wokingham

Wokingham District Council’s ‘It’s Working’ team were celebrating on Saturday (June 10) when they scooped the top prize in the Woodley Carnival for the best float in the community category!

‘It’s Working’ is a Wokingham supported employment scheme, based at Wokingham Resource and Opportunity Centre (WROC). The scheme enables job seekers with a disability, who need extra assistance, to succeed in work. All service users are matched with a Wokingham district council job coach, who provides them with support during the search for a job. Once paid employment is secured, the job coach will work with the individual in their job until they are able to work independently. There is no time limit for this and it is very much a service that is based on a person’s individual needs.

Last year job coach Eve Spear took part in the carnival with one of the service users. They both had such a fantastic time that, this year, Eve encouarged colleagues to join them!

Eve said: “Last year was fantastic and we really enjoyed being on the town council’s float. However, we felt, as a really good way to promote our service, we should organise our own one this year. And, what a result! Our service users either dressed up in their own work uniform or came dressed representing their ideal job. A lot of hard work went into organising our float and we were delighted to win!”

The theme for the float was ‘It’s working for us’ and the float was decorated with work-related scenes including a café and laundry. It was also decorated with banners and promotional material from employers of service users, including John Nike Leisure Centre, Berkshire Costume Service, Berkshire Rooms and Moor Cottage Veterinary Hospital.

Getting into the spirit, Eve dressed-up as a Dalmatian as part of a double act with a service user. He is looking for a job working with animals and came dressed as a dog walker!

Cllr Pauline Helliar-Symons, executive member for Wokingham social care services and housing, said: “Everyone from service users to officers at the council put in a lot of effort to ensure their ‘It’s working for us’ float was a winner! I would like to extend my congratulations to everyone involved and I wish all the service users well for the future as they seek employment.”

Wokingham District Council