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Bridges Programme – Building for the Future

Employability & Welfare
Building for the future
Image for Bridges Programme – Building for the Future
Lead Organisation:
Bridges Programme
Theme:
Award Amount:
£58,955.58

A collaborative project which has been designed with the employer. This has been operating in Glasgow across various departments of Construction, Maintenance, and Environmental works. We will work with 30 participants over seven months.

The participants received Employability training and 1-1 support where applicable. Participants will work directly with employers to gain an understanding of working in Scotland, what employers are looking for, Mock interviews and site visits.

Skills Matrix was also created on the soft and hard skills required from the employer.

New Scots reached
56

Key Information

Range of Employability Services, including employer engagement with placement and work experience, skills profiling and employer skills matrix.

This project involved collaboration with the employer and was designed with their approval.

The project took place in and around Glasgow and incorporated clients from North Lanarkshire, covering several departments of Bell Group – one of the largest Property Services contractors in the UK.

It ran for seven months, with 30 participants divided into three cohorts of 10. The program was aimed at those interested in pursuing a career in maintenance, painting and decorating, joinery, and related trades.

Each group of 10 received 45 hours of employability training and one-on-one support from the case worker.

Outputs

•Full skills profile linked to a skills matrix within their chosen profession/sector/trade.

•A chance to spend time with staff from across the Bell group in walk rounds Q and As and, where appropriate short work placements •Tailored CVs

•Application support

•Mock interviews and interview skills

•Personal Employment Action Plan

Key Information

Partnership

Bell Group, Wheatley Group

Geographical reach

Glasgow & North Lanarkshire

Dates

April 2023 – November 2023

Target Groups

Male & Female Adult Refugees, Migrants, Asylum Seekers

Project Type

Range of Employability Services, including employer engagement with placement and work experience, skills profiling and employer skills matrix.

Situation

A collaborative project which has been designed with the employer. This has been operating in Glasgow across various departments of Construction, Maintenance, and Environmental works. We will work with 30 participants over seven months.

The participants received Employability training and 1-1 support where applicable. Participants will work directly with employers to gain an understanding of working in Scotland, what employers are looking for, Mock interviews and site visits.

Skills Matrix was also created on the soft and hard skills required from the employer.

Involvement of New Scots in project

As we continue our efforts to support New Scots, we gain a deep understanding of the obstacles they face when seeking employment or attempting to showcase their skills to potential employers.

This led us to form a partnership with Bell Group and deliver the Building for the Future project, with the aim of providing our clients with a competitive edge in the job market.

By collaborating with a Scottish employer, our clients not only gain valuable insight into what prospective employers look for in a candidate, but they can also learn how to tailor their applications and skills to meet these expectations.

Our goal is to give New Scots the tools they need to navigate the job market and secure rewarding employment opportunities confidently

Immediate and Long Term Benefits

One major challenge faced by our clients, besides language barriers, is the difficulty in comprehending qualifications and experience, both from the perspective of job seekers and employers.

The aim of this project is to identify the necessary skillset and assist our participants in identifying their strengths and how they align with the skills required by employers in a specific industry or job.

The following are some of the advantages that our clients can expect from this initiative.

  • Direct contact with employers.
  • Chance to visit employer premises.
  • Understanding the needs of the employer.
  • Create tailored CV.
  • Q&A sessions with employer.
  • Completing bespoke training programmes suited around the sector.
  • Increased confidence in engaging with the labour market.
  • Participants are better equipped to understand and articulate their skills.
  • More confidence in an interview setting and being able to answer competency based questions.
  • Moving closer to sustainable employment in Scotland.

 

Challenges encountered

After discussing with our linked employer, it was determined that they could not fully commit to the project. Therefore, Bridges had to seek another employer to fill the gap. We are happy to report that we were successful in finding another employer, Wheatley Group, to join the project and provide valuable resources to our clients

Solutions

We formed connections with other companies that hire individuals in the same industry as our project. After a fruitful meeting with an employer, we were able to secure the support of two employers, Bell Group and Wheatley Group. This enabled us to successfully execute all aspects of our project and even exceed our initial goals.

We created flyers to promote the project and advertised it in Bridges Programmes newsletters. Our clients showed enthusiastic interest in the project, which helped us surpass our initial target of participants. Thanks to our clients’ positive response, we achieved 186.67% of our target.

The positive aspects of taking on a new approach (innovative)/How the project has expanded on existing examples of good practice (good practice)

The programme provided employability training and one-on-one support to the participants.

They had the opportunity to work with employers to gain a better understanding of the workplace culture in Scotland, learn what qualities employers look for, and practice mock interviews.

The programme also created a skills matrix outlining the soft and hard skills required by employers.

Case Study

Rocky relocated to Glasgow in May 2022, hoping to start a new life in the city.

He was determined to find employment and support himself financially. Fortunately, he discovered our 6-week Fresh Start programme, which gave him essential skills and knowledge to boost his employability. After successfully completing the programme, Rocky joined the Building for the Future Project, which allowed him to explore different job opportunities and gain valuable industry insights.

While on the project, he underwent skills profiling, attended 1-1 meetings with potential employers, participated in mock interviews, and went on on-site visits. Thanks to Bridges’ referral, Rocky also had the opportunity to participate in a 4-week Changing Life Program organised by Wheatley Homes Glasgow in July 2023.

The program included two weeks of work placement, where Rocky worked hard and demonstrated his commitment to his job. Impressed with his performance during the work placement, Wheatley Homes Glasgow offered Rocky a 1-year Trainee contract, which he happily accepted.

Rocky was grateful for the support he received from the Building for the Future Project and Wheatley Homes Glasgow, which helped him build his skills and kick-start his career in Glasgow.

Reflections

The Bridges Programmes Building for the Future – Supporting New Scot Fund Project has been a tremendous success story and has achieved significant milestones. Here are some key takeaways from the project:

  • The project has helped 56 clients (over-achieving our 30 target) with career development by providing the necessary employability tools and resources. The programme has helped many people overcome the challenges of finding employment and has given them the confidence to pursue their career goals.
  • Collaboration and partnerships have been crucial to the project’s success. By partnering with two companies, the project was able to leverage the strengths of each partner, resulting in a more impactful programme.
  • One of the programme’s key strengths is its focus on long-term impact. The project has not only helped its clients find employment but has also provided them with ongoing support to ensure their success in the long run.
  • Finally, the Bridges Programmes Building for the Future – Supporting New Scots Fund Project is an excellent example of how organisations can positively impact their clients. The programme has shown that it is possible to create a programme that can improve people’s lives with dedication, hard work, and collaboration.

Further Information

Keywords

Collaboration, Employability, Employer Engagement, English, Refugee, Skills Matrix, Skills Profiling

Contact

Contact:
Karen McIntyre

Address:
Flemington House
Suite G6
110 Flemington Street
Springburn
Glasgow
G21 4BF

Telephone:
+44 (0)141 558 9749

Email:
admin@bridgesprogrammes.org.uk

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