Hayley Taylor, better known as Channel 4′s ‘Fairy Jobmother’, will visit support tutors who work at Business Advice Direct learndirect centres at their annual staff conference in Manchester this Friday.

Hayley, who lives in Doncaster, started out as a hairdresser before moving into teaching and training. She took seven years off work to have her daughter, and then found the return to work a struggle.

After building her confidence back up, she took a role as an employability tutor, before Channel 4 invited her to be a part of a reality television show known as ‘Benefit Busters’. This was such a success, she was asked to become the ‘Fairy Jobmother’.

Hayley will talk to 50 staff who lead English, Maths, IT and Employability courses, at training event at the Manchester Conference Centre on Sackville Street in Manchester on Friday 3rd February.

The staff work at 17 Business Advice Direct centres across the North West and Midlands, including centres in Manchester, Ashton, Stockport, Northern Moor and Newton Heath.

Richard Hallam, Managing Director of Business Advice Direct, said:

“Jobseekers face many tough challenges, from financial worries to a loss of respect and status within their communities.

“Being out of work for a long time really affects someone’s confidence, but to fight for the jobs available these days, confidence is something you really need.

“Hayley is an inspiration, a tour de force on our television screens, and we are delighted that she’s coming to share her valuable experience with us.”

In the last academic year, Business Advice Direct helped 5040 adults pass 8053 exams in literacy and numeracy. The Manchester office achieved 250 exam passes over the same period, and the Stockport centre achieved an impressive 359 exam passes in numeracy alone.

The centres also provided free CRB checks, CSCS cards (a health and safety requirement for building sites) and Digital Tacho cards (which qualify workers to drive industrial vehicles), for dozens of learners.

Learners can access these courses and qualifications without paying any fees.

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

Business Advice Direct, a private company, has run many of their learndirect adult education centres since 2002. They offer courses in maths, English and IT, along with ‘employability’ skills such as CV writing, interview skills and training for the workplace and helping to get learners into work. These courses may be free to attend subject to eligibility.

To arrange a photograph of Hayley Taylor with the Business Advice Direct tutors, please contact Jennifer Coles, PR Consultant, on 07948407942

Kathryn originally attended our centre to gain an IT qualification so that she could help her 8 year old son with his homework. Kathryn had never used a computer before so had to learn everything from scratch. Balancing her learning with looking after her son, she managed to pass her final test, despite having a few setbacks along the way. Kathryn has now started volunteer work as a classroom assistant saying that her new skills will help her in her new role.

Having been in ill health for a number of years, Julie has been kept herself active by putting others before herself and has been teaching herself computer skills. Now having completed her Employability Award and working towards her ECDL Extra qualification, she is motivated to get back to work by working exceptionally hard in centre as well as from home, and has been a joy to have in our centre.

Despite there being tragedies and problems that have affected her own home life, Michelle has gone from having no qualifications to achieving a Level 2 in Numeracy and Literacy, passing her ECDL Extra and completing our new Employability course, all within the span of 5 months.

When Shirley first started a programme with us, her confidence was low, but after receiving support and reassurance from our tutors, she has now successfully completed her Employability programme and ECDL Essentials. She has now gained enough confidence that she is now half way through her ECDL Extra and all this has helped to increase her job prospects.

Despite over‐coming barriers, Kim was the first to arrive in the mornings and last to leave in the evenings and has completed 2 programmes with us and will soon finish her third.

Having been a stay at home mum for 17 years, Catherine has been enthusiastic, self‐motivated and has even inspired her fellow learners. Over a two month period, she has managed to achieve 6 programmes with us, and if we had more courses to offer, she would still be with us.