Projects set to help women back to work
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Seven projects land funding to help support women and those
with caring responsibilities back into employment Initiatives
to help veterans, victims of domestic abuse and homeless women
Funding part of the government’s £5m commitment to help people
with care responsibilities back into work
Minister for Women & Equalities, Penny Mordaunt, announced
today (4th June) that seven organisations in...Request free trial
Minister for Women & Equalities, Penny Mordaunt, announced today
(4th June) that seven organisations in
England have been awarded funding to support innovative
projects which aim to help women back into work.
The funding is the latest to be awarded as part of the
government’s drive to support disadvantaged women in the UK,
and comes ahead of the launch of a new strategy which will
set out how women of all ages should be supported to achieve
their potential.
Working with more than 100 employers, the seven projects
have been allocated nearly £500,000, which will go towards
providing refresher courses, training and qualifications to
women from all backgrounds who have taken time away from
work for caring responsibilities.
Minister for Women & Equalities, Penny Mordaunt, said: "It is completely unacceptable that the careers of talented women are held back because they take time out of their jobs to care for a loved one.“Businesses cannot afford to overlook the potential of these talented women. That’s why we are investing in returners to work – giving them the opportunity to refresh and grow their skills. By acting on this issue we can grow the economy and achieve true equality in our workplaces." The successful bids include a project that will give women the tools to progress in the security industry, another that will seek to help victims of domestic abuse and an initiative to help female partners of the Armed Forces and veterans return to work. Pioneering research by Eige found that reducing gender gaps in labour market participation, STEM qualifications and wages, could increase the size of the UK economy by around £55 billion by 2030. This funding is part of the government's £5 million commitment to boost projects supporting women with caring responsibilities across the country back into the job market. Notes to Editor: Winning organisations: Mpower People CIC: £96,505 MPower People CIC have a track record of supporting disadvantaged people into work, specifically those with mental or physical health issues, victims of domestic abuse, ex-offenders and people in challenging economic circumstances. Their programme will support women from various disadvantaged backgrounds, back into employment across the Liverpool City Region. Liverpool City Council: £87,500 Liverpool City Council will develop a specialised women’s returner programme supporting victims of domestic violence, ex-offenders and those with limited English language skills. Partnering with existing refugee programmes, women’s probation and local domestic abuse services, the programme offers accredited (ESOL) training, soft-skilled training and personal development that leads to paid employment. Shpresa Programme: £78,000 Shpresa will develop a BAME women returners’ programme, based in two locations. Their target group are migrant women with significant employment history, but due to cultural reasons are the main carers. These barriers, along with limited English skills create further issues for returning to employment.
Adviza: £71,042
Adviza Partnership will launch a sector-focused
returner programme (security industry), designed to
support BAME women into a male dominated sector.
Participating returners will receive accredited
qualifications and direct entry into security work that
reduces cultural barriers often associated with this
sector.
Westminster City Council: £60,000
Westminster City Council will develop a returner
programme to support BAME women into the hospitality
sector, focusing on some of the most deprived
communities in Greater London.
Beam: £50,000
Beam will empower women who are homeless or at risk of
homelessness to secure employment by providing
award-winning support and training through online
fundraising. This is an innovative approach that is
unique in the market.
RFEA – The Forces Employment Charity: £48,000
The RFEA programme will support the female partners of
serving Armed Forces, and women veterans back into
employment. The pressures of service life cause
isolation for many Armed Forces’ partners, which create
complexities around building a career for themselves,
as they by default, become the main caregiver of
children and relatives.
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