FOUR new courses have launched to help women, men and teenagers get back into work on Oxford’s largest estate.

The Starlight Community Project, in Greater Leys, has been given a £11,500 cash boost by the European Social Fund to encourage people into work or learning opportunities.

The free accredited courses aim to raise people’s confidence levels, identify key skills, and help people to put together CVs and prepare for interviews.

Organiser Sue Funge said: “A lot of people feel that they haven’t worked for a while or they lack confidence and this is designed to help them realise they do have these skills and to sell them in a CV and interview.

“A lot of people lack that self-belief.

“They don’t have to come from Blackbird Leys, they can be anyone fearful of going back to work following illness or bringing up children.”

‘Enterprising Women’, ‘Raising Aspirations of Young Men and Fathers’ and ‘Move on Up’, targeted at 16-year-olds especially, all run for 10 weeks.

Participants will achieve an Open College Network Level Two qualification — the equivalent of learning of an A-C grade at GCSE.

‘You’re Hired!’ is a six-week course which also focuses on confidence-building, interviews and application forms.

All the courses are free and will be held at Starlight Community Project’s office at 26 Kingfisher Green. Sessions are weekly and last for two hours.

For more information about dates or to book a place, call Ms Funge on 01865 778514 or email suefunge@aol.com