A new training provider in York has landed a blockbuster contract involving Blackburn Rovers Football Club.

A little more than a year after being formed, i2i, based at the Innovation Centre at York Science Park, has won a £475,000 contract to get the jobless of Blackburn and Darwen back to work, using the football club's Ewood Park ground as a base.

It has meant taking on five new staff, bringing the total on the payroll to 28.

The 27-month long project has huge moral and practical support from the club.

Rovers manager Mark Hughes is offering facilities to help i2i create team-building through football, as well as providing marketing and office space for job searches and CV creation.

The training scheme is being funded by the European Social Fund as well as Jobcentreplus, which in November listed i2i as an accredited supplier.

The two-week courses include mock interviews, guides to personal appearance, team-building, and reviving self-belief and self-worth.

Matthew Gore, 36, managing director and founder of i2i, which began operating in December, 2004, said: "This is our second year and we calculate turnover will be just short of £650,000.

"It is unheard of for a training provider to establish itself so quickly.

"We have linked up with the education department in the north-west region.

"Last Monday we were expecting 12 jobless people to turn up. Instead, we got 26 signing on for the programme.

"Within days, the second course, which starts on Monday, was full.

"In the first week, we managed to steer five long-term unemployed people into permanent jobs.

"Jobcentreplus officials were absolutely staggered at the response and the results, especially as this was a voluntary course, not mandatory."

Mr Gore was yesterday in talks with Everton Football Club, which is exploring the possibility of replicating Blackburn Rovers' social involvement.

The contract comes hot on the heels of a similar i2i

project based in Stockport city centre, although that is a mandatory Jobcentreplus course.

Part of the team-building activities at Blackburn Rovers, and at Stockport, involve regular trips to Aldwark Manor, near Whixley, where there are canoeing, archery and raft-building challenges.

Matthew had no experience of training, having worked for an international vending and catering organisation.

But he was joined by his brother-in-law, Kent Mayall, former managing director of training provider MS UK, at Selby, as well as his brother, James Gore, who was operations director there, and Shaun McKenna, who was on the development side of the Selby firm.

More Gore brothers joined them - Mike, who is business development manager, and Danny, national operations manager.

Updated: 10:32 Thursday, February 02, 2006