Cook & Coach (360G-SCVO-a0gb000000QAfUfAAL)

Our project's main aim will be to focus on CONNECTEDNESS for vulnerable members of the community to build RESILIENCE and tackle SOCIAL ISOLATION by increasing the number of contacts or interactions someone has and to build their self esteem so that they are able to confidently enter the world of work, and to sustain this. We will target those aged 16 and over who are not in employment, education or training and who are seeking to be economically active, are living on a low income and experiencing disadvantage. By ‘enticing’ people in with ‘softer’ options via the ‘cooking on a budget’ workshops we will open them to a range of opportunities they may not have traditionally accessed; accredited and non accredited training, formal and informal learning and the all important social interactions that will see them gain workplace ready skills. The funding will also allow us to increase capacity to delivery spaces on our current twice weekly Job Club; we will do this by bringing in an addiitonal sessional worker to assist new members. We don’t do things TO, we do things WITH people, co-designing new projects through our extensive focus groups and service user involvment structure. This idea has come from direct feedback from our members on what would work for them. Our core employability services are based on empoerwment – we COACH, we don’t direct, and because of this we have had huge successes. Our framework is focussed on best practise in the area around the 'LADDER OF PARTICIPATION' model. This runs from stage 1 (information sharing) to stage 8 (initiation - where service users make all the major decisions and staff are available for consultation). This project is at stage 6 (implementation - where service users work with staff to seek funding streams for the developed initiative).