Business Action on Homelessness' Ready for Work programme provides pre-employment training, work placements and job coaching to boost confidence and improve employability.

Bond Pearce solicitors, in Temple Quay, Bristol, has been helping homeless people with their interview skills and confidence, and job coaching, since September 2008.

More than 50 employees –a quarter of the whole office –have volunteered in the programme, helping more than 60 homeless people to find work.

They offer a range of practical exercises and role plays designed to build confidence and help people to present themselves at an interview and talk about their skills and abilities.

Each person is allocated a job coach who supports them on a one-to-one basis in their job search for a period of up to six months.

They also use Bond Pearce's IT facilities to prepare CVs for use in their job search.

Bond Pearce senior associate Philip Withey said: "BAOH has changed preconceptions and endorsed the fact that everyone is the same but many simply haven't had the same opportunities.

"The experience of coming into our office, seeing and being accepted in that environment can add a huge amount to their confidence and belief that they can achieve their goal of obtaining employment."

For more information about Business in the Community, go to www.bitc.org.uk/southwest.

● Pictured are Bond Pearce's Quentin Robinson, Alice Cooke, Sadia Siddique, Kate Ramus, Angus McFadyen, Victor Tettmar, Philip Withey, Mike Hazell, Gayle Jones, Caroline Turner-Inskip, Sarah Rogers, Sam Lee