Improving employment prospects for nearly three decades
Since 1995 NCVA has been working to improve the employment prospects and help develop the skills of people in Northumberland. More than 3000 people have been helped by the award winning programmes we have run or led.
During that time we have benefitted from a range of different funding sources, from the UK Government and the European Union, through major institutions and trusts to local charities. Whatever the source of funding the aim remains the same; to provide support to people struggling with unemployment and underemployment by helping them build their skill sets, cope with new technologies and methods and to engage better with the labour market.
Over almost three decades working on employability NCVA has accumulated expertise and knowledge in the field that has enabled the organisation to deliver employability services that are more client-centred, better targeted and supported effectively one-to-one. This expertise led to NCVA becoming the lead partner in Bridge Northumberland – a flagship employment programme supported by the National Lottery Community Fund and the European Social Fund. Although Bridge Northumberland has become highly successful, meeting and exceeding all of its targets, the programme ran into difficulties in its early days. NCVA was asked to take over the leadership of the project and successfully turned it round. The project engaged with almost 2000 people in Northumberland.
We are proud of what we achieved with Bridge and the approach it has developed. First, recognising that all kinds of barriers and gaps prevent people getting into work easily and need to be overcome otherwise no amount of CV writing will achieve anything. Second, understanding that one size does not fit all and ensuring that on-to-one support tailors support individuals need and provides the necessary encouragement. And third, recognising that voluntary sector partners not only understand the unique territory of Northumberland, but each bring a specialism to the project, avoiding the need to re-invent the wheel. As well as being the lead partner, NCVA provided its volunteering specialism, offering supported volunteering opportunities enabling participants to add experience to their CVs.
NCVA is now a partner in the current employability programme funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and led by the North East Combined Authority.
Find out more about Solid Foundations.
Employment programmes
NCVA been responsible for around twenty employability and skills training programmes, each set up with objectives to deliver to a particular segment of the local population: sometimes long term-unemployed, young people, people with literacy and numeracy challenges, disability issues and so on.
Here is an incomplete summary of those programmes in no particular order:
- New Deal 18-24
- New Deal 25+
- Positive Steps
- Positive Steps into Employment
- Positive Steps Forward
- NCVA Buddy Scheme
- Seeds to Success
- Re-Mploy Project
- E2E – Entry to Employment
- New Deal Gateway 2 Work
- NCVA Employment Fairs
- EFS Horizons Projects
- Positive Futures
- Skills for Employment
- Vocational Sector Routeways
- NEET Seeds
- Learning Choices
- Real Deal
- SkillsUNeed
- Bridge Northumberland
Live programmes
Solid Foundations
Solid Foundations has been designed to meet each person’s specific needs and provide personal support. We also address deeper problems such as debt, mental health issues, physical health, disability, literacy, numeracy, addiction, past offending and self belief. This approach ensures that individuals have a better chance of succeeding with what they want to achieve.
NCVA Employment Fairs
Working in collaboration with the Bridge Northumberland programme, NCVA delivers employment fairs around the County. The fair bring together job seekers with actively recruiting employers and training organisations and recruits to Bridge individuals who would benefit from one-to-one support in overcoming barriers to employment.
Completed programmes
Bridge Northumberland
The flagship Northumberland employment programme that has built on quarter of a century of experience in delivering employability programmes. The programme funding concludes in 2023 and is on course to meet all of its targets with more than 2000 Northumberland residents benefitting from Bridge.
New Deal
A government run, 13-week mandatory programme for local people who were on Jobseekers Allowance sub-contracted to NCVA (then Wansbeck CVS). The New Deal programme worked with clients from Morpeth, Ashington, Blyth and Bedlington Jobcentres. Clients gained qualifications in a variety of fields including forklift truck: reach and counterbalance, pest control and off-shore work. Basic Food Hygiene and First Aid. Work placements for these clients was sourced from the voluntary and community, private and public sectors. There were two sub programmes:
New Deal 18-24 – Designed to address the problems of long-term unemployment in 18–24-year-olds, the aim being to improve the young person’s chances of finding and keeping a job.
New Deal 25+ – Aimed at people aged 25 or over who had been unemployed and claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance for 18 months out of the previous 21.
Positive Steps Forward
In 2009 this project provided a unique service to residents to brush up skills without attending college, offering adult literacy and numeracy support alongside confidence building. Volunteering, employability support alongside computing. Running at the same time:
Positive Steps – in partnership with the Learning Skills and Northern Learning Trust which was literacy and numeracy entry level 3 and above
Positive Steps into Employment – literacy and numeracy and work placement and confidence building
NCVA Buddy Scheme
This scheme ran for over two years providing a range of activities for people with mental health conditions who faced substantial barriers to accessing volunteering activities, supported by trained volunteer buddies to raise self esteem, self confidence and the improve mental health and physical well being. We assisted clients with complex mental health issues to access volunteering opportunities with one-to-one support from a buddy.
Seeds to Success
A programme in a horticultural environment that enabled people with varying disabilities, (mental, physical and learning) to learn skills in horticulture and healthy eating. Delivered in partnership with Hirst Allotment Society, the programme saw clients gain confidence and reduce isolation, and develop transferrable skills. The project won an OCN award for outstanding provision of NOCN learning. Several clients moved into employment and a weekly job club helped with job search, job applications, and CVs.
Re-Mploy Project
Working with Office of Disabilities and Job Centre Advisors in 2014 NCVA supported former Remploy clients to move into volunteering and employment. The clients had varying abilities and at Remploy their work and social life had combined; the thought of working apart from each other was as problematic as moving into new employment. Along with their personal advisor we were able to support them with volunteering opportunities, interview techniques, take them to interviews when necessary and source potential employers who were sympathetic to their personal needs. The continuous support from a key worker was paramount in building their confidence and self-esteem.
E2E – Entry to Employment
E2E was about the re-engagement of young people whose previous experience of education has often left them lacking confidence in their ability to learn and distrustful of teachers and tutors. Consequently, it was important that we were sufficiently flexible and individualised our approach to dealing with participants which enabled them to understand their needs and ultimately for us to gain their trust. We could not assume that all young people were ready to engage in structured learning activities but needed the time and support to help them see the value of learning and overcome personal barriers that prevent them from participating in education, training or employment.
New Deal Gateway 2 Work
A local authority labour activation scheme that provided short-term work and training opportunities of benefit to the authority area for people unemployed for over 2 years.
EFS Horizons Projects
The aim of the project was effectively to address the need of people who did not engage with Jobcentre Plus by offering flexible delivery tailored to individual need, inspiring and empowering participants to achieve their potential and move into work. The programme complimented existing provisions and work within the community to engage clients. Activities included work with GP’s Primary Care Trusts, Local Authority initiatives, voluntary and community and other organisations at neighbourhood level.
Positive Futures
The programme aimed to provide people without jobs with a flexible approach to support, training and guidance and the opportunity to gain practical experience through work placements. The flexible 12 week programme was run at our Ashington office and included training in literacy, numeracy, food hygiene, first aid, team building, motivation and confidence building and CV writing. Clients also had access to job search materials and ICT equipment to give them additional resources to help in looking for employment.
Skills for Employment
Funded by the Coalfields Regeneration Trust, had a target of engaging with 95 learners, 23 achieving a level 2 employability qualification, 95 gaining skills development and 10 learners into employment. NCVA (then WCVS) overachieved on all targets, supporting local people aged 16–60. Clients developed their existing skills and learnt new skills either through work experience or training as well as improving their confidence, self-esteem, teamworking and work ethos.
Vocational Sector Routeways
An 18-week Vocational Sector Routeway; all clients were given a choice to attend a voluntary work placement to enable them to develop their skills and improve their employment prospects. Training was also provided to those clients where it would be appropriate for future employment.
NEET Seeds
Another award-winning programme following on from the success of Seeds 2 Success. Awarded funding from the Community Foundation, Tyne & Wear and Northumberland, NCVA built on success by committing to work with volunteers aged 14 to 25 who lived in South East Northumberland and were unemployed. Won Outstanding Provision of NOCN Learning in the ONE Awards
Learning Choices
Learning Choices, a Northumberland based charity, worked with a wide range of individuals to improve levels of qualifications and gain further work-related experience. When the charity closed NCVA picked up its obligations, administering a fund to provide training and start up grants.
Real Deal
Ran job clubs in Ashington from 2014 and for some years that followed.
SkillsUNeed
6-week courses to support individuals to develop important skills to help them find work. NCVA received funding from the Coalfields Regeneration Trust to deliver the new SkillsUNeed training to help participants write the perfect CV, carry out effective job searches, complete engaging application forms and learn how to be successful at interview. The training also helped participants prepare for work and manage on a budget.