Finding himself unemployed was the catalyst for Stuart Waddington to launch his own social enterprise to help other jobless people. The former charity worker is the inspiration behind Equip, a not-for-profit company offering paid work experience in catering and cleaning.

Mr Waddington, 57, who lives in Florence Park, Oxford, has already recruited 14 team members and four managers.

As well as vocational training, candidates are taught other life skills, such as first aid, budgeting and anger management. A typical example is 57-year-old father-of-three Rod Nixon.

From being homeless and unemployed, he is back in work with prospects.

Mr Nixon, from Cowley, spent 20 years in the IT industry, including being a technical director of a major software firm, before losing his job, marriage and home.

He said: “I was penniless and spent a year sleeping rough. I am still in the process of sorting out my life but Equip is helping me upgrade my computer skills and I plan to start my own business offering website design and book keeping.

“In the meantime, I am happy to cook and clean while I am building up my own business, to keep some money coming in. I am in private rented accommodation and making the transition from benefits to paid employment.”

Another Equip member is 54-year-old Victor Webster, who spent his childhood in children’s homes and adult life in prison.

After his release last year, he met Mr Waddington and is now learning hospitality and catering skills.

He said: “It is all a new experience for me and got me into a different mindset.

“It has given me a stable environment and is helping me to adjust to life on the outside.

“If I had not come here, I would probably have ended up back in prison. This has given me my life back.”

Mr Waddington has years of experience in the voluntary sector, including working for the Stonham Housing Association, Oxford and has previously helped offenders and people with mental health issues.

While unemployed, the job centre told him about The Prince’s Initiative for Mature Enterprise (PRIME) scheme, run by the Prince of Wales, which encourages over-50s to start their own business.

He said: “In my previous roles, I met a lot of people who were motivated to work but when they applied for jobs, either they didn’t get an interview because of their situation, or if they got an interview, they didn’t get the job.

“Or, if they got the job, a crisis would happen and they would lose that job.

“That was what made me realise there was a need for something to bridge that gap into mainstream employment.

“The way it works here is that people can enter Equip at a low level but gain skills in a supportive environment.

“We have people ranging from those with no track record in work at all, to those with fantastic experience who may have experienced a life crisis and things have gone wrong.

“We provide training, build confidence and give people the chance of real jobs with the aim that we can help find them permanent employment, or set up their own business.

“We can provide them with a really good reference to say they are reliable, punctual and we have seen them work with the public, handle cash and so on.”

Mr Waddington runs Equip with fellow director, Lauren Horswell, who is in her 20s.

He says their age difference makes for a strong business partnership.

“I hope it challenges those older people who sneer at youngsters and vice versa.

“I’ve got more business experience than Lauren but she has a more academic background and is more IT and social-media savvy than I am.”

Team members are employed on a zero-hours basis deliberately, so they are able to work up to 15 hours a week without losing benefits, with the aim of eventually helping them to become totally self-sufficient.

Ages range from late teens to late 50s and the only eligibility factor is the person must be unemployed.

Equip has just moved into offices in the Isis Business Centre in Horspath Road, Oxford and if successful, Mr Waddington plans to extend the scheme.

Equip also runs a cafe which opens for two hours on a Saturday in the city’s Florence Park Community Centre.

It provides another arena where team members can gain skills and practical experience while earning.

Equip also has free use of the kitchen facilities at the Stepping Stone Day Centre in Magdalen Road, from where it operates a deli business, making sandwiches and buffet-style lunches for local firms.

Mr Waddington added: “Schemes like ours have practical benefits to society as a whole by reducing the benefits bill and keeping people out of casualty or prison.

“This is about proving that the stereotypes of all unemployed people being benefit scroungers are wrong.

“And it is about helping those people, who have massive and untapped potential, to make a fresh start.”