MORE people in Whaddon are unemployed and debt-ridden than ever before.

That's the view of staff at Oakley Resource Centre, in Clyde Crescent, which runs courses aimed at getting people back into work.

Leaders at the centre say the demand for job-finding sessions and debt management classes has shot up in the past year because of the economic downturn.

Kevin Potts, manager of the Whaddon, Lynworth and Prior's Neighbourhood Project, which is based at the centre, said it was symptomatic of a growing section of the community struggling with debts due to a lack of job opportunities.

"It is certainly a big problem in the area," he said. "We have a lot more people coming to us for debt advice than we did a year ago, simply because there are more people out of work.

"The demand from the community is so strong that we have set up a job club to improve people's chances of finding employment. It's tough for the people involved, but it's just a sign of the times."

The club takes place at the centre every Wednesday between 9.30am and noon, offering people the opportunity to scour the internet for jobs, get help working on their CVs and submit online applications.

The centre also runs debt management sessions with a specialist adviser, as well as courses to boost skills such as IT, numeracy and literacy.

Mr Potts added: "We want to do all we can to serve the needs of the community and, at the moment, a large part of that means helping people get back into work.

"Our courses are designed to help make people more employable as well as making them more aware of the opportunities available. Our door is always open to people struggling with unemployment and mounting debts."

Andrew Banfield, manager of Cheltenham Citizens' Advice Bureau in St James' Square, said the end of the worrying trend was not yet in sight.

"Over the past year we have seen more and more people come to us with debt problems associated with unemployment," he said.

"We currently get between 50 and 60 of these cases a week and it is rising steadily. January and February are always a bad time because they are the months when the bills come in.

"But, unfortunately, although there have been some indicators that the economy is back on track, our evidence suggests debt problems linked to unemployment are still yet to peak."

To contact Oakley Resource Centre for information about the courses, call 01242 516960.