Wage, the communal social enterprise scheme run by Work Avenue, is paying its way as it marks its six-month anniversary.

Sixty-five people have become members of the scheme, through which job-seekers are trained in support of small businesses. With the help of a mentor, participants undertake subsidised training courses, followed by paid work in their chosen field.

Wage has also reached the milestone of a 50th project brief from a business. Areas covered to date include website and graphic design, digital marketing, sales, admin and book-keeping.

From a business owner’s perspective, Sarah Emanuel-Holder described Wage — an acronym for Work Avenue Generating Employment — as “a win/win situation”.

The North Londoner set up Pot Luck Planters in June after leaving a full-time job and is winning customers, and a legion of Instagram fans, by offering bespoke planters for homes, gardens, shops and restaurants.

Establishing the business on a shoestring and using savings to buy materials, being quoted thousands of pounds to build a website had been a major problem.

She credited Work Avenue, and particularly its head of business, Joanna Sadie, for “amazing” support.

“We have one-to-one meetings each month and she has given me so much advice, as well as guiding me through the process.

“When I told her that I was looking for help with graphic design and building a website but couldn’t afford the huge costs I was being quoted, she introduced me to Wage.

“Two members, Helene and Isaac, are now creating a wonderful website for me at a fraction of the price.

“I’m nearly 58 and have had to reinvent myself. I’m really not technical — I just love being outside in the garden. But running a business, you need all those elements.

“I simply couldn’t take my business to the next level without Wage and Helene and Isaac get paid real-world experience and a working example to build their portfolios and kick-start their new careers.”

Another North Londoner who has taken advantage of the social enterprise is Neil Elton, who said it had been a “game-changer”.

With extensive experience in customer service and research analysis, Mr Elton wanted to build upon his existing skill-set and deepen his knowledge of the creative areas he is passionate about.

After attending the Wage open evening, and being especially impressed by the digital marketing course and its instructor, he signed up.

“I really embraced the course and took it seriously,” he told the JC. “It is very vocational and the projects were so innovative and fun. Plus, I learnt so much from other course participants and my mentor.

“It consolidated where I want to be professionally and the paid practical work experience is helping me to formulate a path to get there, by allowing me to put into practice what I have been taught.

“I guess the biggest challenge for me now is to harness these newly acquired skills to help me into full-time rewarding employment, preferably in digital marketing — and Work Avenue are continuing to help me with that too.”

Wage director Jeremy Bohn said he “could not have wished for a better first six months.

“We have trained an amazing group of people in essential workplace skills.

“Those newly trained people have provided vital services to entrepreneurs and small business owners, ahead of all our projections, allowing them to drive their business forward. The future of Wage looks very promising.”