Building Better Opportunities Stafford & South Staffordshire

Building Better Opportunities Stafford & South Staffordshire is a jointly funded project by The National Lottery Community Fund and European Social Fund.  The project was awarded £2.3m and aims to help those who experience multiple barriers to move closer to employment.

The three-year project will focus on key groups who typically find they have multiple barriers to overcome when finding suitable employment.  These are:

• People aged over 50
• Lone parents
• Those with low skills or qualifications
• People with long-term health conditions or disability
• Those from an ethnic minority group
• Those living in ‘low employment demand’ areas
• Those who experience more than one of the following; homelessness, substance misuse, history of offending and mental ill-health.

The project will tackle the barriers that prevent these groups of people from accessing support with more opportunities for education and training, improved health and wellbeing services, better financial help and new programmes to build people’s confidence.

Support will be provided to help people build self-confidence and develop or acquire new skills in key areas where they might be experiencing difficulties.  These are:

• Work skills – gaining of key skills e.g. team working, problem-solving, numeracy, IT and communication skills.
• Attitudinal skills – increased levels of motivation, confidence, feelings of responsibility, levels of self-esteem and higher personal and career aspirations.
• Personal skills – improved timekeeping, personal hygiene, greater levels of self-awareness, better health and fitness, greater levels of concentration and engagement.
• Practical skills – the ability to complete forms, ability to write a CV, improved ability to manage money and improved awareness of rights and responsibilities.

To find out more about Building Better Opportunities Stafford & South Staffordshire visit www.bbostaffs.org, email jenny.kirkby@ssha.co.uk or call 0300 3000059.