A PIONEERING jobs scheme has celebrated a major milestone after finding 900 unemployed people paid work placements.

The £8.5m Employment Opportunities Fund works by lining jobseekers up with temporary jobs helping the community, while also supporting them to find permanent work.

The scheme began in 2013 with the aim of getting 400 people into work, but has been extended to 2018 thanks to extra funding.

The placements on offer have included receptionist and administration work, community development and youth work and manual jobs such as caretaking and landscaping.

Many of the jobseekers have been given placements in community centres, with others taking work with social housing or health and care organisations.

They get paid either the national living wage or the minimum wage, depending on their age, with the wage bill picked up by the fund.

Each participant is also assigned a mentor to help them find permanent jobs that would fit with their specific circumstances, such as childcare commitments or health needs.

So far, 900 people have taken on a work placement of between six months and a year, with 84 per cent of people completing the programme either going on to find permanent work or going into education.

Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe, leader of Bradford Council, said the fund’s success had far exceeded their original expectations.

She said: “The programme is now receiving national acclaim, and is going from strength to strength by delivering exceptional results.”

Geraldine Cowley, chief executive of Incommunities, added: “We are delighted to be part of this programme which has given so many local people a new start.

“The success of this programme is shown by the fact that over 80 per cent of all participants have not returned to the unemployment register. We are also delighted that 58 local people have started work with us and we hope to see this number increase in the future.”

The project was originally set up to help jobseekers under 20, over 50 or those with disabilities, but it has since been extended to all.

The fund is financed by Bradford Council, the Leeds City Region, the Department of Work and Pensions and social landlord Incommunities.

It also involved JobCentre Plus and careers advice organisation Aspire-igen.