A Pontypool man has spoken of how he was able to get into work thanks to a council scheme.

Daniel Eason, 33, found employment after using Torfaen Council's supported employment programme, having been jobless for two years.

Signing up for the CELT plus initiative last June, Mr Eason received support to improve his CV and find work.

The council team, working from the Torfaen Works shop in Cwmbran, also referred him for health, wellbeing services, and helped him overcome a significant obstacle - lack of transport.

Mr Eason said: "The CELT plus team has helped me every step of the way in finding a job.

"I found the idea of looking for work really difficult because I didn’t have any transport or money to get to training or job interviews, but they helped me to get a bike and gave me a bus pass to help with some of my work placements."

To further aid Mr Eason, the team set up sessions to help with his mental health and increase his confidence.

This included arranging gym sessions and coffee mornings.

Speaking of the assistance, he said: "They have also put things in place to help me with my mental health and confidence.

"I want to thank Katie, Vic and Aled for all their support as it truly has made all the difference in me being able to find employment doing something I enjoy."

Mr Eason secured a full-time job at Button Fresh, Mamhilad, using the Success Plus project, which encourages employers to offer six month, fully-funded work placement contracts.

Councillor Joanne Gauden, Torfaen Council's executive member for economy, skills and regeneration, hailed the scheme's success.

She said: "Daniel’s success exemplifies the power of collaboration, personalised support, and determination."

CELT plus, a UK Shared Prosperity Fund-backed programme, assists individuals in Torfaen in finding employment by offering support such as CV updates, job searches, and training.

More information about the CELT plus scheme is available on the Torfaen Council website.