Set up as a charity by chief government and trade knowledgeable Greg Mangham three years in the past, its goal is to assist the homeless, jail leavers and fragile providers veterans get their lives again on observe with steady, long-term employment. 

Working with companies and different charities, jobs for 375 have been discovered to date in venues together with celebrated eating places akin to The Wolseley in Mayfair and The Ivy Collection group.

And that success is now fuelling OAPA’s ambitions to position 9,750 members into work over the following 5 years, contributing a possible £468 million enhance to the financial system by way of financial savings on state assist, nationwide insurance coverage contributions and disposable revenue spend.

Currently it operates all through England with growth into Scotland subsequent. The trade and campaigns present its revenue - £600,000 final yr. 

The challenge’s catalyst for Mangham and his trainer spouse Gill was the  sight of tough sleepers on London’s Strand and the shameful waste that represented whereas the sector struggled with 1000's of vacancies. 

Could there be a greater manner? Absolutely, they determined and from that they developed OAPA, whose tremendous pragmatic mannequin is the muse of its success.  

The core is its free jobs board. A complicated, coded platform with a safe log-in, it allows candidates to use for roles proper for them and to be assessed pretty. An app to enhance engagement can also be being developed.

A year-long wrap-around service provides monetary and emotional assist to the recruits maintaining everybody within the loop, whereas relationship managers again this within the three sectors OAPA works with: custodial, charities and employers. A studying and growth coach can also be available to mentor candidates.

“We’re a conduit for the whole industry bringing the homeless, custodial and veterans sectors together,” says Mangham.

“Employers see us as worthwhile and if we can place someone it helps pressures on a charity. Currently there is little cohesion between charities/organisations and employers.

“Our candidates start from zero and our support ensures they don’t fall by the wayside. The jobs board allows members to secure employment they may have been excluded from.”

Former pub commis chef Paul Hannaford escaped the shackles of homelessness with assist from charity The House of St Barnabas and OAPA and now works as a items receiver for The Ivy Asia in Chelsea.

He credit the scheme for giving him an opportunity to show his life round and return to full-time employment.

“The pub I worked at had to shut down a few times during the pandemic and I got evicted and became homeless at the end of 2020,” he explains. 

“I didn’t think I was going to become homeless – it was a big shock. My future had no meaning and I’d lost a lot of respect for everything that was going on around me. I don’t think I was in a very good state of mind to get a job.

“Because I was involved in hospitality and had previously worked in a pub, my referral charity, the House of St. Barnabas, put me forward for Only A Pavement Away’s Skills Hub programme and from there I began work at The Ivy. My life has turned around one million percent. My family are proud of me. I’m proud of myself. I’ve kept this job going and I’ve never been late and love my work.”

Another instance typical of the distinction OAPA is making is of a person “only able to use one arm because of a stroke who is now working in a hotel in Park Lane,” says Mangham.

Average size of service is 44 weeks, with 60 per cent of members staying with their employer for over a yr. 

Mangham’s subsequent massive ambition is to usher in £1.5 million of annual funding so OAPA can open a sequence of café-based coaching academies in cities.

“These would be run by our members who will receive a share of the profits,” he explains.

“We’ve no fat cat salaries here, we just do good in a structured, commercial way.” Onlyapavementaway.co.uk