Coventry and Warwickshire
This LEP area includes all of Warwickshire, and Coventry, which forms part of the West Midlands. Building Better Opportunities will invest £7,352,000 in the area.
Breakthrough
Breakthrough focusses on improving financial literacy to help people tackle financial barriers to employment, education, and training. A team of ‘Money Mentors’ will focus on wards with high numbers of out of work residents experiencing, poverty and disadvantage. Training will help people confidently manage their money, and so encourage aspirations, promote self-help and increase participation in the local community. Intensive support throughout a personal action plan will help people tackle debts, access benefits or grants, and address additional barriers such as housing and homelessness.
Accelerate
Accelerate offers general employment support to promote social inclusion and combat poverty. The project helps people build confidence, improve their skills and gain valuable work experience. Support is tailored to individuals’ goals, interests and needs. Each participant has their own ‘Journey Guide’, who helps set goals towards finding work suited to the participant’s skills and interests. Practical help dealing with barriers to work such as costs and housing issues is available. Working with local businesses and voluntary organisations, Accelerate provides access to a range of supported work and volunteer experience opportunities. Business advice is available to anyone who would like to become self-employed, with specialist for people with learning disabilities.
Progress
Progress is a tailored programme of coaching and support to help NEET (Not in Employment, Education or Training) young people access training and employment opportunities. The programme provides up to 12 months of personalised, one-to-one support to young people who are most in need of a helping hand to get them on the path to a successful future. Young people work with a dedicated Progress Coach – an experienced youth work professional – who encourages them to set positive goals, inspire a positive work attitude and help them navigate their own personal plan towards employment. Through tailored, one-to-one support, the programme aims to increase the confidence, self-esteem and wellbeing of those enrolled, boosting social and personal skills as well as employability.