A combination of corporate goodwill and one of the world’s largest auction websites is set to help young people with disabilities into full-time work.

Friends Provident International, one of the Isle of Man’s leading life and pension companies, has helped fund start-up costs for a new office project in Douglas to be run by the Crossroads Charity.

Each week, Crossroads, which offers support for people who provide round-the-clock care in the home, receives numerous donations of clothes and unused gifts for its shop in Victoria Street, Douglas. Now they have come up with the novel idea of starting a Social Enterprise initiative, employing people with disabilities to work in office premises above the main shop, marketing and selling some of these donated products on eBay.

The new recruits will be given full training and support with the longer term objective of assisting them into full-time employment.

Social Enterprise Coordinator Hannah Thompson said that members of the public regularly donated to the Crossroads shop items such as wedding dresses and even unused gifts like Royal Doulton China which would be ideal to sell on eBay. The proceeds are to go towards the organisation’s £850,000 annual running costs.

'We felt this would be a great opportunity to enrol a number of staff with disabilities and to train them into working in an office environment, getting to use computers and provide them with the skills to market some of our donated products on eBay,' said Hannah. 'In time, we want this to be a springboard to help them find their way into long-term work on the Island.

'We are really grateful to Friends Provident International for stepping in at just the right time to help with our start-up costs such as computers and the uniforms for the staff,' Hannah added.

Castletown-based Friends Provident International employ around 250 people and are actively involved in a range of community support projects. General Manager Jonathan Hall (pictured with Hannah) said that the Company was keen to support the Crossroads Social Enterprise.

'Crossroads is an extremely hard-working organisation and they do so much to ease the burden on full-time carers. They have come up with a great idea to help people with disabilities build confidence, self esteem and prepare for full time work and we are delighted to play a part in getting the project off the ground.'