Womad

At the 2006 WOMAD festival in Reading (28-30th July) extended its celebration of diversity by providing 21 disabled and disadvantaged candidates with the opportunity of work for the weekend. The event was co-ordinated by NOW i-WORK, a social recruitment enterprise and Graft which is a group of local organisations working together to break down the barriers facing disabled people seeking employment.

The candidates worked in a number of roles which included Car Park Attendant, Site Cleaner, Litter Picker, Bar Staff, Glass Collector, Kitchen Porter and Lost Property Attendant. Before undertaking their work placements, the candidates first completed a training course in Customer Care Skills to prepare them for working in such a demanding environment. Despite it being the hottest weekend of the year, the candidates remained friendly and enthusiastic, carrying out their duties to the highest possible standard.

The placements were hosted by SCL who manage Rivermead Leisure Centre. Ian Davis Manager at Rivermead, run by SCL in conjunction with Reading Borough Council said: "I was privileged to go to an event organised by Graft at the Renaissance Hotel last year. The candidates all did a fantastic job and I knew we could give people the opportunity to do something similar here at Rivermead." Two of the candidates have since undertaken another hospitality placement and one is now negotiating terms with a potential employer.