MerseySTRIDE helps improve the employability of people across communities
Location:Merseyside, North West
ESF Funding: Community Grant
Around 12,150 participants across Merseyside have benefited from the Community Grants scheme managed by Community Foundation for Merseyside since 2008. The scheme is supported by ESF (European Social Fund) with an allocation of £2.9 million. Community Grants of up to £12,000 are available for voluntary and community organisations to help them reach disadvantaged people furthest from the Labour Market. To date, approximately 200 community organisations have engaged with ESF through this grant scheme. The Grants support a wide range of activities including training, advice and counselling; jobsearch; work experience; assistance with basic skills needs and confidence building.
MerseySTRIDE is a Community Interest Company (CIC) established in June 2009, which offers volunteering and employment opportunities for unemployed people, especially those affected by homelessness, drugs, alcohol and mental health issues. MerseySTRIDE is supported by a number of trusts and foundations, and has also been awarded funding from the Department for Communities and Local Government.
A European Social Fund Community Grant of £12,000 enabled the project to purchase computer equipment and to employ sessional workers when it started up. One worker was employed to encourage people from the project's target groups to get involved, and to help build their confidence and overall employability. The grant also paid for other sessional workers to deliver various training sessions including health and safety training, customer service training and furniture assembly/basic joinery training.
The project offers volunteering and employment opportunities in recycling, repairing and assembling flat pack furniture, which is then sold at affordable prices to the local community from its own shop HOME. As well as offering employment and work experience in furniture assembly, reconditioning of domestic appliances, retail, dispatch, delivery, administration and sales, those involved received education and training opportunities in order to break down barriers to employment including basic skills, ICT, job search and interview skills.
It was a "learn as you work" project; those involved were paid from day one of their 6 month period. Although initially training was more informal, the group introduced accreditation once the project was more established. Set topics and skills were incorporated in the 6 month training period.
One person on the project had not worked for 12 years after coming out of prison. MerseySTRIDE found employment for him as a supervisor, and his wife found work in a high street clothing retailer after starting as a volunteer in the shop. Another participant had been in and out of institutions from 13 to 37 years old. Wanting to change his life around, he accepted the project's training and support, and started volunteering. He went on to become a supervisor, and then successfully applied for a Homeless Support Worker post at the YMCA hostel he had once stayed at. He now often refers people from the hostel to MerseySTRIDE, which has created 80 jobs and 30 volunteering opportunities.
For more information about MerseySTRIDE contact:
Joan Ford
Tel: 0151 232 2425
joan.ford@cfmerseyside.org.uk