Oldham Council’s free employment support service – Get Oldham Working (GOW) – has worked in partnership with Cygnet to create new opportunities for Oldham.
Opening in April, Cygnet Kenney House, a 44-bed mental health hospital for women, will sit on the redeveloped site of a former nursing home on Wester Hill Road, Fitton Hill.
Those benefiting from the new employment opportunities include support worker Ameyo Kudanu.
She said: “I relocated to Oldham due personal circumstances and had been unemployed since 2022 – GOW gave me support with learning about roles available in healthcare, updated my CV and invited me to an information session for opportunities with Cygnet Health Care.
“Following the session I was invited to attend an interview for the position of a support worker. Although I was nervous as it had been some time since my last interview, my advisor supported me with interview preparation and I was so happy to be offered the role.
“I like it at Cygnet, there are lots of opportunities and you can choose your own hours, they are flexible and supportive, they helped me as I am a single parent and gave me hours to suit my needs. I am very happy in my job and if someone asked me I would tell them to ‘apply with them, they are a very good employer’.”
There will be three wards at Cygnet Kenney House; Billington Ward, a 12-bed specialist Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), Baldock Ward, a 16-bed Acute service, and Harben Ward, a 16-bed mental health rehabilitation and recovery service.
The Cygnet hospital will provide a safe and secure care pathway for women with mental health needs, working in collaboration with the NHS to develop services to support people from the north-west to be treated closer to home.
Cygnet has prioritised recruiting from the Oldham area and with support from Get Oldham Working has helped people get jobs as ward clerks, receptionists, health care assistants, activity co-ordinators, chefs, maintenance, kitchen staff and housekeepers.
The team first held an information session for residents about the roles available and follow up interviews at the Get Oldham Working offices, in Oldham town centre.
Victor Takadiwa, Cygnet Health Care Operations Director, said: “Opening Kenney House created a number of job opportunities within the Oldham area, and we were keen to work with the local community, to provide employment for local people.
“Working with James and the Get Oldham Working team, was a real opportunity to support local residents into employment, we have been able to support individuals who were out of work, and facing redundancies at other locations.
“We hope this collaboration can continue, and look forward to Kenney House being part of the Oldham borough.
“Our ethos at Kenney House will be centred on doing all we can to make a positive difference to support those with mental health needs. The people we care for will be someone’s wife, mother, daughter, sister or friend. They may have experienced difficulties leading to a deterioration in their mental health, such as a marriage breakdown or bereavement, but with the right care and support they will want to return to their own lives as soon as possible.
“We want staff at the service to be highly skilled and whose priority is to provide compassionate, safe care. It has been a pleasure to employ staff with the right skills and attitude through the Get Oldham Working service.”
Cllr Fida Hussain, Cabinet Member for Enterprise, said: “Get Oldham Working is a wonderful service and offers invaluable support to residents and employers.
“This is a brilliant example of what can be achieved when we work in partnership with a commitment to helping our local communities.
“I wish everyone the best of luck in their new roles and welcome Cygnet Health to the borough – it will be a fantastic new facility which will make a positive difference to many people’s lives.”
Get Oldham Working is a free council service which helps people to find work and training opportunities.
It also provides a free recruitment service for local businesses and organisations to help them find local people for their vacancies.
For more information visit oldham.gov.uk/gow and cygnetgroup.com/locations/cygnet-kenney-house