Training Link - Skills for Employment
Education & Skills
We want to run online courses to help people gain qualifications and support them in finding work.
About this cause
We are a basic skills training centre, helping people find work. We are in Somers Town, a deprived area in central London. We work mainly with local people, largely women from BAME backgrounds. We run courses in English, IT skills, Maths, Employability and various vocational courses. Many of our learners have little experience of adult education, and we can offer more personal support than a large college. Many also have low self-esteem and little confidence. Around 25% of the local adult population have no qualifications, and 37% have no qualification above Level 1. Our work changes people’s lives by supporting them in learning new skills and knowledge, working at their pace, and offering facilities for extra study. Many of our learners find work, volunteer or go on to further study.
How this cause brings people in the community together
A grant from the Co-op will benefit local people by enabling us to run 80 online vocational courses: 50 Level 2 Food Safety & Hygiene; 15 Customer Care & 15 others. We will promote the courses through Open Days, and publicity to local community groups. The courses can be run at any time, and can be completed either in one day or several sessions. We have a computer suite in our fully accessible centre with staff and volunteers to support learners. This flexibility and local access suits our learners. Most will be BAME women with young children, or other family responsibilities, looking for work in industries such as catering, hospitality and hotels, which are major local employers. We will signpost learners to local community employment advisers for support in finding work.