New scheme to equip former homeless people

On the scheme, run by Shelter and FM company Ian Williams, 12 former homeless people are taught essential house maintenance skills, like plumbing, tiling and painting, as part of a 10-week course.

Formerly homeless people are set to be given the chance to learn skills to look after a house of their own, thanks to a pioneering new scheme.

The scheme, being run by homeless charity Shelter and facility company Ian Williams, will see about 12 people who have been homeless taught essential house maintenance skills, like plumbing, tiling and painting, as part of a 10-week course.

The course, which will take place at BandQ in Wednesbury, is designed to increase the confidence of participants by giving them the skills to carry out basic repairs and maintenance about the house.

It will be carried out on a rolling basis and if successful could be spread to other parts of the country.

Employees from Ian Williams and experts from BandQ will teach the skills.

Successful participants will receive a certificate and a BandQ toolkit to help them carry out future repairs.

Mitchell Allan, account manager at Ian Williams, said the company was very pleased to be involved in the scheme.

He said: "As an official sponsor of Shelter, we are always delighted to support projects which support homeless people.

This project is particularly special as we believe it is the first one of its kind to take place in the country.

We will be helping to encourage people to take pride in their property by giving them the skills they need".

Julian Garside, Shelter's area manager for the West Midlands, said: "We have been working closely with Sandwell council to address homelessness in the borough and we are delighted that BandQ and Ian Williams are investing in helping formerly homeless people in the area.

"The skills that people will learn at these workshops will enable them to repair and improve their home, so it is somewhere they can take pride in.

It may also empower them with support and confidence to go on and pursue other new areas of learning or skills development.".

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