As well as being a trusted provider of affordable homes and care services, we’re here to do more for our customers, offering free and confidential Plus Services like employment, training and money advice.   

One customer who has already benefitted from this support and is looking forward to a brighter future is Bradley.  

Building Better Opportunities officer, Tina Jones explained: “After leaving care, Bradley found himself unemployed and in need of some structure to his life. He was also keen to seek out new opportunities but reluctant to return to education as he had not had a particularly positive experience at school.  

“After talking things through, we worked together to create a new CV and, taking into consideration his reluctance to undertake formal training, we recommended a 12-week course with the Prince’s Trust.”  

Offered to people who are unemployed and aged between 16 and 25, the course emphasises the importance of being part of a team, encouraging participants to work together to help others by organising a community project.  

Students can gain qualifications in first aid, food hygiene and health and safety awareness while building up their self-confidence.  

“I signed up for the Prince’s Trust programme and as the weeks went on, I started to feel a real sense of purpose,” Bradley said.  

“My final presentation to the group made me feel valued and gave me a voice. Seeing the course through until the end and securing a qualification, also gave me the confidence I needed to believe in my abilities and what I had to offer.”  

The training course provided a springboard that enabled Bradley to apply for job opportunities and helped him to successfully secure a Kickstart placement with a local company.  

The Kickstart Scheme was launched by the government to provide funding to employers offering new job roles for 16-24 year olds, who are in receipt of benefits, to try and prevent young people facing long term unemployment.  

Tina added “When I last spoke to Bradley he was talking about his dreams and aspirations for the future, which was so good to hear and such a difference to the young person I first spoke to!”   

Building Better Opportunities, an initiative delivered locally by our Plus Services team, is a jointly funded project by The National Lottery Community Fund and European Social Fund to help those who experience multiple barriers to move closer to employment.