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Set up as a charity by chief executive and industry expert Greg Mangham three years ago, its aim is to help the homeless, prison leavers and fragile services veterans get their lives back on track with the help of stable, long-term employment.<\/p>\n
Working with firms and other charities, jobs for 375 have been found in top venues including The Wolseley in Mayfair and The Ivy Collection restaurant group.<\/p>\n
That success is now driving OAPA\u2019s ambition to place 9,750 people into work over the next five years, contributing a potential \u00a3468million boost to the economy through state support savings, national insurance contributions and disposable income spend.<\/p>\n
Currently it operates in England, with expansion into Scotland next. The industry and campaigns provide its income \u2013 \u00a3600,000 last year.<\/p>\n
READ MORE: <\/strong> Anger as homeless people live in tents on busy UK city roundabout<\/strong><\/p>\n The project\u2019s catalyst for Mangham and his wife Gill was the sight of rough sleepers lining London\u2019s Strand and the shameful waste that represented while the hospitality industry struggled with thousands of vacancies.<\/p>\n Could there be a better way? Absolutely, they decided, and from that they developed OAPA, whose super pragmatic model is the foundation of its success.<\/p>\n The core is its free jobs board. A coded and monitored platform with a secure log-in, it enables candidates to apply for roles and to be assessed fairly.<\/p>\n A year-long wrap-around service offers financial and emotional support, keeping everyone in the loop, while relationship managers back this in the three sectors OAPA works with: custodial, charities and employers. A learning and development coach is also on hand to mentor candidates.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re a conduit for the whole industry, bringing the homeless, custodial and veterans sectors together,\u201d says Mangham.<\/p>\n Don’t miss… <\/strong> We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info<\/p>\n \u201cEmployers see us as worthwhile and if we can place someone it helps ease pressures on a charity.<\/p>\n \u201cOur candidates start from zero and our support ensures they don\u2019t fall by the wayside. We have one man only able to use one arm because of a stroke who is now working in a hotel in Park Lane.\u201d<\/p>\n Average length of service is 44 weeks, with 60 per cent of members staying in jobs for more than a year.<\/p>\n Mangham\u2019s next big ambition is to bring in \u00a31.5m of annual funding so OAPA can open a chain of caf\u00e9-based training academies in cities.<\/p>\n \u201cThese would be run by our members, who will receive a share of the profits,\u201d he explains.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve no fat cat salaries here, we just do good in a structured, commercial way.\u201d<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/cdn.images.express.co.uk\/img\/dynamic\/22\/590x\/secondary\/4921259.jpg?r=1692697969223\")
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