EMPLOYABILITY SUPPORT AVAILABLE TO SOUTH TYNESIDE RESIDENTS
A division of AMF member Groundwork South and North Tyneside, TEN North East Ltd is offering support to unemployed South Tyneside residents through its Wise Steps programme from 1 July 2019.
Wise Steps helps people in Tyne and Wear to transform their lives, with funding from the National Lottery Community Fund and the European Social Fund. The project provides one to one specialist support to those on the pathway to work.
TEN North East is a Wise Steps coaching partner and over the next 9 months will be seeking 120 South Tyneside residents to join its programme. This will include unemployed people, people living with disabilities, ex-offenders and lone parents. All participants will receive one to one support from a coach for 18 months which will focus on removing any barriers to work through social inclusion activities, life skills, confidence building and skills development. Activities can also include ICT training and personal money management.
For 25 years, TEN North East has managed and delivered employment and training services in South Tyneside and supported clients who are long-term unemployed. In 2018, TEN North East joined Groundwork South and North Tyneside as a division of employment and skills. Groundwork South and North Tyneside is a charitable trust, and part of Groundwork UK, which is passionate and committed to proactively protecting, developing and transforming the South and North Tyneside regions and the lives of those within it.
The team works closely with a wide partnership of local organisations led by the Wise Group, to provide support and guidance, including benefit and debt advice from the Tyne and Wear Citizens’ Advice Consortium – South Tyneside, counselling services, digital inclusion for those with disabilities from Leonard Cheshire and confidence and motivation building from Uplift Associates.
Gillian Hepplewhite, Lead Wise Steps Coach, said: “We are delighted to have recently been awarded funding to extend the programme until 2021, as I feel that we have made a real difference with the work we have delivered in the community. It’s so rewarding to see the journey people go on, from gaining confidence and developing new skills to ultimately finding employment. The aim of Wise Steps is to help transform the lives of the people who need it most and this is the same ethos that we share at both at TEN North East and Groundwork South and North Tyneside.
“If anyone is interested in joining the programme, I would urge them to get in touch with our team as the support really can make a difference to your life.”
For further information on the Wise Steps programme delivered by TEN North East to South Tyneside residents, please call us on 0191 427 2790.
