Rochdale boroughwide cultural trust, Link4Life, has won two north west employment awards - for both employer and employee in the Works Skills category of the 2009 North West Local Employment Partnership (LEP) Awards.

The LEPs were launched in 2007 as a collaboration between business and government, helping to develop skills and connect employers with communities. The awards celebrate and recognise the achievements of both companies and individuals and are intended to show well how LEPs work in practice for employers, employees and local communities.

Through Jobcentre Plus, the partnerships help employers recruit the best people for the job by unlocking the talent within local communities. More than 10,000 employers in the north west have committed to support the initiative across all major business sectors and nationally more than 100,000 people have found work as a direct result. As winner of the 'Work Skills Award', the employee has to demonstrate an outstanding level of achievement in their personal and skills development by gaining employment and continuing to develop after being recruited. They will also have shown what a difference the job has made to their lives.

Link4Life's employee, now in his mid-twenties, had spent six of the last 10 years in prison. On his release he was helped to look for a job that could give him the support and direction he needed. Having signed up to the LEP, Link4Life agreed to offer a period of work experience supported by an extensive package of training and mentoring. Photograph: Link4Life managing director, Craig McAteer, receives the employer's award from Councillor Peter Williams, Middleton Township Chair