Celebrating 22 years of Ongo Communities
Since opening their doors in 2003, Ongo Communities has helped over 20,000 people with work-related skills and support.
Originally known as Crosby Employment, the team joined Ongo 12 years ago and has since evolved into Ongo Communities. Their commitment to making a difference within the community is unwavering, offering a wide range of support services including skills and development, mental health support, financial assistance, digital inclusion, loneliness prevention, safeguarding, young carers support, domestic abuse support, homelessness aid, and their Ongo Talk mental health support.
To celebrate this milestone, we are sharing reflections from colleagues who have been instrumental in our journey:
Jan Williams: “I’ll never forget receiving the keys to the new office on Laneham Street and launching Crosby Employment Bureau. We held an event where the local community was invited to learn about the opportunities we could offer and how we could help them take those first steps into work. Even the funder from the European Social Fund (ESF) came along to meet everyone.
But it wasn’t just the start of a new job for me — it was the start of something with real purpose to make a difference and help local people, and I was excited to see where it could lead.
Looking back, one of the most important moments was when we won our first contract to supply agency staff to North Lincolnshire Council. That was a huge deal and set us on the path to financial sustainability, as the ESF funding was coming to an end. I had never written a tender before, and it gave us that belief that we could create a successful business, and it shaped the path we’re still on today.
Winning the Yorkshire and Humber Social Enterprise of the Year award in 2012 was a standout moment. To be recognised like that – not just for what we do, but for how we do it – meant a lot. Then, a few months later, a very unexpected opportunity arose when the CEO of North Lincolnshire Homes reached out to me with an amazing offer to bring Crosby Employment Bureau into their group!
Looking to the next 22 years, my hope is that the legacy we’ve built continues to grow and thrive, making a real difference to people’s lives every day.
The teams have supported thousands of people over the last 22 years, and some of them still pop in when they need more help. I want to thank all of the amazing people who have and still do work in Ongo Communities and Ongo Recruitment. None of this would have been possible without their passion, hard work, and belief in what we do. I’m so proud of every single one of them.”
Gill Paul: “Where would I start – so many memories and moments throughout the time I have worked for Crosby Employment Bureau and Ongo. The first time I met Jan was my interview day, and I knew straight away that I wanted to work for this amazing place and make a difference to all the people we have helped along the way. Luckily, I was offered the job and have never looked back, but little did I know how we would grow from being 3 people in a small office to where we are now.
Nothing ever stopped us from our new adventures and offers that came rolling in, from getting people into childcare jobs, then moving into admin work and then the cafes and golf club tenders we won, providing jobs in catering. Then we opened the Grimsby office, and we could help people in a different area, getting 500 people into work.
We went from strength to strength and more opportunities came our way, to help more people in their hour of need our feet didn’t touch the ground. “But what fun and enjoyment we had” Hard work but amazing opportunities for all the people who were employed by us. Every day was a new day, but no one ever really knew what that day would bring. We joined Ongo, and new adventures began.
The team were amazing and still are and should be very proud of their work every day.”
Hayley Cullen: “For me, it’s when the Empower project was recognised in the Howard League Awards. It was my first management job with Crosby Employment, and we were recognised because of the work we did in recruiting volunteer navigators to support ex-offenders and keep them in their community and out of prison.
It was an amazing project, and we were nominated by the Probation service for our work. When we were shortlisted for the award, we went to London for the event and met Princess Anne. It was an amazing day, and I’ll never forget it!”
Pete Tedde: “I came to Scunthorpe and was living in shared accommodation after being unemployed and living in a bedsit in Grimsby for over a year. I had no direction, no aspirations or idea of what I wanted to do with my life and was regularly on the police’s radar. At the time I was suffering with mental health issues, alcohol and some substance issues and involved in crime.
One day I walked into town and saw an advertisement in the window of Crosby Employment Bureau for volunteer Navigators to help on a project for ex-offenders and took the plunge to go in and ask about it. I met Hayley and Jan and was interviewed and taken on.
I completed a 2-week training induction to become a Navigator and for the next 18 months I volunteered for four days per week on the project, I loved it and hoped it would result in some paid work, which I am proud to say it did.
That step through the door of Crosby was completely life changing. Every major milestone in my life has been completed since I met Hayley/Jan – driving, professional development, becoming a Team Lead, and continued employment in a job that I love, renting my own home and living self-sufficiently, I have never looked back.”
For more information on the support we offer, visit www.ongo.co.uk/supporting-you.