Pecan

Pecan is a charity that helps unemployed people get and hold jobs. Pecan is based in Peckham & Elephant & Castle and trains over 1,500 unemployed people in London every year.

Pecan started in 1989 in Wells Way as a partnership project with other local churches; hence the name, which stands for Peckham Evangelical Churches Action Network. A number of our members are employees of Pecan.

• PECAN re-employment project website

History of PECAN

1989 – Pecan starts in the back hall of our buildings at Wells Way with one Employment Preparation Course (EPC) 3 members of staff

1990 – Second EPC started

1991 – Job Club starts and Launderette in Grove Estate established 10,000 homes visited by recruiters 224 people trained on EPC’s – 47% positive outcomes* (55 people into work)

1992 – 30,000 homes visited Resource Room opened 318 people trained on EPC’s – 52% positive outcomes (140 people into work)

1993 – First company in South Thames area to receive “Investors in People” English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) started Adult Literacy project starts 285 people trained on EPC’s – 58% positive outcomes (84 people into work)

1994 – Mental Health EPC starts Replication of Pecan in Hackney, Woolwich, Dublin ESOL supports 100 refugees 350 people trained on EPC’s – 70% positive outcomes (128 people into work)

1995 – Pecan awarded “Quality Mark” from the Basic Skills Unit Agency 61 people attend Mental Health EPC – 51% positive outcomes 105 refugees helped 374 people trained on EPC’s – 78% positive outcomes (155 people into work)

1996 – Archbishop of Canterbury visits Pecan Re-building occurs in North Peckham. Community Induction project starts 119 refugees helped 387 people trained on EPC’s – 66% positive outcome (155 people into work) 63 people attend Mental Health EPC – 57% positive outcomes

1997 – Computer training course (CLAIT) starts Atwell House bought 33 members of staff 50 people attend Mental Health project – 70% positive outcomes 364 people attend EPC’s – 76% positive outcomes (159 people into work)

1998 – 48 members of staff Debt Counselling starts New Deal Voluntary Sector Option starts New EPC at Aylesbury estate Social Exclusion project Cash Handling project 92 refugees helped 364 people attend EPC’s – 78% positive outcomes (179 people into work) Moved into 72 Rye Lane

1999 – Pecan 10 years old! Lambeth VS Option starts Pecan Resourcing starts – new job broking part of Pecan New computer training course for young people 65 members of staff 454 people attend EPC – 64% positive outcomes (171 into employment) 120 refugees helped Third building needed

2000 – 70 members of staff 587 people attend EPC’s – and counting! 215 people into work New Web Design project for young people Second level for computer literacy (IBT2) starts 160 refugees helped – and counting Gateway to Work (GtW) starts – (Part of New Deal)

2001-2002 – Pecan Web Presence & Computer Maintenance projects move to new location in Angelltown, Brixton. Pecan wins government contract to run Environmental TaskForce in local area. Pecan is a winner in the Innercity 100 competition for fastest growing inner city organisations.

2003 – Pecan is awarded the Gateway (GAP) contract by the Jobcentre Plus. All 18-25 year olds on the New Deal in Lambeth, Southwark and Wandsworth will come to Pecan for five days of skills assessment and jobsearch training. Simon Pellew leaves Pecan after 14 years and Kevin Belcher joins Pecan as the new Chief Executive. For more details about Kevin’s arrival click here.

Pecan’s philosophy is to see people as individuals – not just numbers or statistics. We think we should let the success of Pecan be judged by the success of the people we have helped – many of whom have overcome a large number of barriers and hurdles.

The Future at Pecan?

They say that those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it! We have had a lot of success but we also recognise that we have made mistakes. In order to shape the work of Pecan to best help the people we work with – we will constantly strive to better the way we treat, train and support our clients to overcome the barriers that exist in getting employment.

* Positive outcomes means people find employment, training or voluntary work.

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