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MidKent Community and Skills Hub Proposal

 

Purpose – The aim of the Community and Skills Hub would be to engage with NEETS (not in employment, education, or training), or people at risk of becoming NEET, unemployed adults, and school leavers to secure positive progression for these groups. Currently there is not a ‘one stop shop’ where vulnerable people can easily access information and advice regarding finances, housing, benefits, education, or health so we seek to address this by working collaboratively with partners in the area to bring a range of support together under one roof for these groups of people.  

 

Partners –  

We have approached a range of partners who deliver careers advice, benefits advice, education opportunities, housing and health advice and proposed that partners are able to have desk space at the hub on a rostered basis. They would be able to advertise their regular slot and offer pre-booked or drop-in sessions for people who are not currently able to access the service, and people for whom the location is easier to get to. 

 

We would look to involve our own students to integrate into the community, particularly Early Years and Catering students to engage with young parents.  This could potentially lead to adults being able to attend training for short periods with their children, removing a barrier to training and increasing integration into the community and helping potential loneliness that can be faced by young parents, particularly if lone parenting. 

 

We would also hope to engage local employees with vacancies to offer Sector Based Work Academy Programmes and recruitment days to improve employment in the local areas. These programmes are designed to offer targeted pre-employment training which is tailored to a specific vacancy, with the offer of work experience and an interview or the position tied in. 

 

Delivery – We have several courses we would be able to offer, and the selection below is not exhaustive. We would develop our offering according to need and demand. Examples of potential training option are below. 

 

Bookkeeping and computerised accounting (in conjunction with SAGE) – From Level 1 to Level 3 these are ideal for adults wishing to go self-employed and work particularly well for parents who want to find flexible work. 

 

Skills Development Online Courses – A variety of Level 2 qualifications targeted towards various sectors including Customer Service, Health Care, Childcare and Digital Skills, can be offered with PC’s available for people for whom digital poverty is a barrier to learning. These would be aimed at adults who are wishing to upskill to enter employment or to retrain. 

 

Essential Digital Skills – Beginners, and Intermediate level courses to support essential digital skill development for employability and day to day living.  Covers computer basics, keeping safe, making purchases, researching information, word and excel. 

 

Certificated Work Skills Programmes  

Aimed at young people who are not in employment to develop skills for seeking employment and keeping safe.  Qualifications cover Alcohol and Drug Misuse Awareness, Citizenship, Developing Skills for Gaining Employment, Managing Money, Understanding Self and Others and Confidence and Self-Esteem amongst other things. These courses are designed to be flexible in content according to the needs of the delegates. 

 

Food Hygiene –  

A one-day course at L2 which will support people entering the Hospitality industry as part of sector-based work academies which will seek to address the lack of hospitality applications for the current vacancies. 

 

Employability –  

We would work with the NCS to offer regular career workshops with CV, job searching and interview support. 

 

Funding – 

Where possible we will draw down funding from our AEB (Adult Education Budget) budget allocation.  Additional funding will be required for staffing the hub and for non-eligible participants as below. 

 

 

 

Key Assumptions –  

The shop is available for a period of 6 continuous months. 

The venue is suitable for a training course for 10 x delegates with a reception area / separate area for appointments with partners 

The space is fully serviced with business rates, heating, electricity included 

The area can be secured 

We can access the free Wi-Fi offered by The Mall.