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ESF update Spring 2018

Welcome to the Spring 2018 European Social Fund (ESF) Newsletter that has been produced by Coventry & Warwickshire’s ESF Technical Assistance Team.
 

In this edition, we bring you up to date on projects launched through the 2014-2020 ESF Programme in Coventry & Warwickshire to raise skills levels within our workforce and support local residents to access employment.

We’ll also give you some interesting examples of what this funding is achieving for our local residents and businesses.

Accelerate

A National Lottery-funded employment support scheme is celebrating 12 months of success, having helped 700 people in Coventry and Warwickshire tackle major barriers to work and self-employment.

The £3m Accelerate project is part of Building Better Opportunities programme, funded by the European Social Fund and the National Lottery, through the Big Lottery Fund.

Over 70 people gathered at the Coventry Rugby Club recently to celebrate the achievements of local people taking part. Councillor Kevin Maton praised the impact of the programme during the two-hour event, which also showcased films and speeches detailing some of the personal stories and achievements of people that have taken part.

Among these achievements were 153 participants reporting an increase in job interviews, 124 individuals undertaking work experience or voluntary roles and nearly 300 previously inactive people now actively searching for work or training opportunities. There have also been 34 participants with disabilities accessing job roles or setting up their own micro-enterprises.

“When we launched Accelerate last year we were charged with changing the way the area’s most disadvantaged people are supported back into work or how they gain additional skills and training,” explained Mandy Bygrave, who is leading the project on behalf of Coventry and Warwickshire CDA.

“The same mechanisms and initiatives were failing so we decided to rip up the rule book and try something different. The answer was to bring 21 local partners – all offering specialist support and advice – together through one single access point.”
For further information on Accelerate, please visit www.accelerate.org.uk or follow @AccelerateCW on Twitter or Facebook.

Local stakeholders get a taste of Progress

Local Coventry and Warwickshire stakeholders and employers were invited to find out more about Progress at an event aimed to both promote and celebrate the achievements of the youth employment programme.
 

Progress is a part of Building Better Opportunities, a Big Lottery Fund and European Social Fund programme that aims to help unemployed young people across Coventry and Warwickshire access training, skills and support to find work. The partnership is made up of 16 local organisations and led by community charity, Groundwork UK.
 
The event was designed to differ from a ‘typical’ stakeholder event by inviting delegates to take part in some of the activities that young people take part in during their time on the Progress programme.
 
Attendees were encouraged to get involved with team-building Meccano, boxing sessions, an ‘Apprentice style’ interview and various health and wellbeing tasks such as smoke and alcohol awareness and positivity to workshops to help promote both mental and physical wellbeing. 
 
The event also premiered a film featuring Progress participant, Megan who spoke honestly and bravely about her journey on the programme. Other Progress participants were also in attendance throughout the event and helped to facilitate tasks and speak to delegates about their individual journeys.
 
Graham Duxbury, CEO of Groundwork UK said, “We are pleased that local employers and stakeholders got to see first-hand the hard work that the young people who are enrolled on the programme have been putting in to help them on their journey to a better, stable and worthwhile future. We are now going to build on the success of the event and continue to raise awareness of the programme and encourage local employers to get involved by offering job, training and work opportunities to young people who have so much to offer.”
 
For more information on Progress please visit https://www.groundwork.org.uk/Pages/Category/building-better-opportunities-progress

SME Support from Skills 4 Growth


Long-standing Coventry company Hearsall Golf Club is benefiting from the Coventry & Warwickshire Skills 4 Growth project which delivers skills support to SMEs in the region.

 Skills 4 Growth, part-funded by the European Social Fund with additional funding from Coventry City Council and Warwickshire County Council, offers a range of training to eligible businesses in the Coventry and Warwickshire LEP postcodes, in a range of accredited training that closes skills gaps.
 
Through a training needs analysis carried out by Skills 4 Growth Delivery Partner Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber Training, it was identified that the club would benefit from leadership and management training particularly to support their strategy of sustaining and increasing business by hosting more functions at the club.
 
Sarah Bomfrey was one of the members of staff to benefit.  Sarah, who is Head Chef at the club, successfully completed her Institute of Leadership and Management Level 2 qualification through the project and is now taking the new skills that she has developed into her day to day leadership role.
 
“As a result of completing my qualification, I am more aware of ensuring my decision making is strong and confident. Team motivation is driven by the team leader which in turn motivates the team to perform well. The training has given me confidence to manage effectively and I am looking forward to progressing onto Level 3 in the New Year.”
 
The Skills 4 Growth programme is managed by Coventry City Council in partnership with the Coventry & Warwickshire LEP, Coventry & Warwickshire Growth Hub, Warwickshire County Council and other major stakeholders. A 50% contribution of funding for eligible training costs is made by the project.
For further information on how Skills 4 Growth may be able to support your business to close Skills Gaps please contact Anne-Marie Tranter on anne-marie.tranter@coventry.gov.uk (02477 719782).

For more information about the European Social Fund for England, please visit the website here.

The ESF Technical Assistance Team would welcome feedback on this newsletter. To provide feedback, or to find out more about ESF in Coventry & Warwickshire or how the team could help you develop your project ideas, please contact:

David Hope – david.hope@coventry.gov.uk
Telephone: 07572 180 017

Craig Perry – craig.perry@coventry.ac.uk
Telephone: 07557 425 397

Helen Hunt – helenhunt@warwickshire.gov.uk
Telephone: 07775 745 559

For further updates on the ESF Programme in Coventry & Warwickshire, please visit http://www.cwlep.com

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Copyright © 2018 Coventry & Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership, All rights reserved.


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