Progress: Building Better Opportunities for Young People Across Coventry & Warwickshire

Groundwork UK has been successful in the first stage of a Big Lottery Fund (BLF) and European Social Fund (ESF) co-financed programme called Building Better Opportunities (BBO) and has recently submitted a detailed second stage project plan to the BLF for final assessment.

Over 18 months Groundwork and its partners will deliver ‘Progress’ – a tailored programme of coaching support and bespoke activities to NEET and at risk of NEET young people aged between 15 and 24, enabling them to access training and employment opportunities. Progress brings together a unique partnership of local organisations – with support from local councils – to transform the prospects of some of the most marginalised young people in Coventry and Warwickshire. Our partnership will ensure that young people facing the most significant barriers to accessing learning and work are able to recognise their talents and realise their potential.

The final outcome of the award process is expected at the end of July 2016, and Groundwork UK is now seeking additional partners to deliver End-to-End coaching support and Programmes of Activity across Coventry and Warwickshire.

Progress aims to: • help young people overcome the personal barriers and challenges preventing them from engaging positively in learning or work • provide a clear pathway for young people to increase their skills and take the first steps on their future career path through training or employment

In order to achieve these aims we have developed a partnership that brings together leading youth and employment charities, organisations specialising in supporting young people with complex needs, colleges and training providers. Together, our focus will be on identifying and helping those young people most in need of support including care leavers, lone parents, young offenders, and young people with disabilities.

Progress will support at least 840 young people aged 15-25 years old, 40% of which will be unemployed and 60% classed as economically inactive. At least one fifth of those we support will be young people with disabilities and at least one in ten from a minority ethnic background.

Our approach will be to work closely together and collaboratively with local stakeholders, in particular local authorities, to provide an accessible and responsive service that encourages young people to succeed and provides clear pathways into positive progressions.

Central to our model is the deployment of Progress Coaches – experienced youth work professionals who will build trust with young people, encouraging them to set positive goals and helping them navigate a tailored path towards employment.

For more information, or to submit a response, please see the attached "Tender specification and Template", or follow the link to Groundwork UK's website.