AN OSWESTRY man is teaming up with the Three Parishes Big Local community fund to offer employment support for those leaving full-time education in 2020.

Paul Newman, of Be A Better Fish, has launched the Be A Better Fish Club to help those who may find it difficult to find a way into employment as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The idea of the new group is to encourage those leaving full-time education to hone their skills and consider launching a career of their own in the form of self-employment.

Paul fears that because many employers are currently struggling to retain current members of staff due to the COVID-19 outbreak, job vacancies may be harder to come by in the future.

He is also concerned it may be difficult for those seeking employment to travel to job interviews while restrictions on public transport remain in place.

With the new club, Paul hopes he is able to dispel some of the myths around self-employment, and help people to take the brave step towards working for themselves.

He said: “Many people are put off working for themselves because of the perceived risk and complexity; a view compounded by the likes of Dragons’ Den on the television. But it doesn’t have to be like this. We’re putting in place a support network to help those in Oswestry and surrounding villages who might want to work for themselves.

“Called the Be a Better Fish Club, we’re building a community of like-minded individuals and small businesses that can help and support each other.

“We’ll provide access to knowledge and expertise, training in bite-size chunks. And opportunities to share resources; including our very own market stall for members to sell and promote their products and services.

“Open to anyone, regardless of age or experience, we’ll work with individuals to find the self-employment option that suits their skills and ambitions best.”

Paul gave his thanks to the Three Parishes Big Local who have played a big part in setting up the club to help young people in the area.

He said the group will soon be setting up information and events available for those who wish to use it.

“Over the coming weeks, we’ll be putting together specific information and events for those leaving full-time education in the local area,” Paul added.

“We’re here to help now, so if you need of inspiration or support to enable you to work for yourself, then please contact us via our website www.beabetterfish.com”