Nearly 100 people including the leaders of local charities, MPs, councillors gathered at Pleased to Meet You in Morpeth on Friday 21 October to celebrate the success of the Bridge Northumberland employment programme. Those attending included workers on the programme, people who had benefitted and those, such as DWP staff, healthcare professionals and voluntary sector workers, who recommend people to take part in Bridge Northumberland.
Since Bridge Northumberland took its first participants in early 2017 to September this year 1879 people in the county have taken part with 1134 supported in bridging the gap to work, skills or training. The programme, which will take new participants until 30 November, is projected easily to exceed its targets by the time it concludes in March 2023 when funding from the National Lottery Community Fund and the European Union Social Fund comes to an end. The project’s Evaluation Report in November 2021 showed the project having already delivered a productivity boost worth £5.4m to the region’s economy and a net saving of £2m to the taxpayer.
Friday’s event focused on the personal success stories of participants and heard a keynote speech from, Steph Edusei, the Chief Executive of St Oswald’s Hospice. Ms Edusei, who worked her way up through the NHS and Ambulance services, spoke of her experiences as both employee and employer and of the value of volunteering when looking for work. Steph said:
“People repeatedly applying for jobs can fall into a cycle of feeling they just aren’t good enough, damaging their self-esteem in a vicious circle that becomes a major barrier to getting work. I know from my own experience as an employer that volunteering breaks down those barriers and volunteers gain new confidence. Bridge Northumberland’s approach of providing supported volunteering has been crucial to the successes of its participants moving into work and training.”
Berwick-upon-Tweed MP, Anne Marie Trevellyan, who was at the event in Morpeth, said;
“The team here at Bridge Northumberland clearly do an incredible job. The participants I spoke with were briming with and the confidence and motivation and told me how being part of the scheme had given them the boost to pursue their goals. I would encourage anyone struggling with lack of confidence or wanting to boost their skills to contact the team here to see if you can benefit from the fantastic support they offer.”
Wansbeck MP, Ian Lavery, said;
“It was a pleasure to attend the Bridge Northumberland celebration event on Friday and speak to some of the people they have helped into employment over the years such as Tony who I am pictured with below – a testament to the outstanding work done at Bridge over the years. It was also an honour to hear Steph Edusei, CEO at St Oswald’s Hospice, speak about her life and career. A truly inspirational woman.”
At the latest count to September 2023 Bridge Northumberland had involved 283 people in North Northumberland, including more than 50 in Alnwick, nearly 40 in Amble, 16 in Wooler and over 40 in Berwick-upon-Tweed as well around 50 in remote rural locations.
Bridge Northumberland had involved 548 people in the Wansbeck area, including 250 in Ashington, over 50 in Morpeth. 45 in Newbiggin, 46 in Choppington, more than 90 in Bedlington. In Blyth Valley 116 Cramlington residents, around 60 in Seaton Valley and 246 in Blyth itself have benefitted from the programme.
In thet Tyne Valley Bridge Northumberland had involved 225 people, including nearly 90 in and around Prudhoe, more thaan70 in Hexham and 33 in Haltwhistle along with participants as far afield as Allendale, Blanchland, Bellingham and Kielder
Bridge Partner Lead, Northumberland CVA Chief Executive, Caroline Rogan said:
“To see so many people come together to recognise the excellent work done by the Bridge workers who have helped so many people make a new start is very rewarding. Very few people really want to be out of work and if it was just a matter of learning how to write a cv and search the internet the problem would have been cracked long since. Unfortunately, one size doesn’t fit all and there are often multiple barriers to be overcome.
“Bridge has also been able to reach people where they are in our very rural county. We have done this by using community organisations on the ground, who know their patch and the communities they serve. I’m really proud of everyone who has been involved and I’m delighted that 86% of those who have been on the programme would recommend it to others”.