NEP gives grant to help unemployed drive

North East Procurement (NEP) has awarded the first ever grant through the members’ Social Regeneration Fund, to a scheme in the Grangetown area of Redcar & Cleveland, which provides support for unemployed people to learn to drive.

“Wheel Solutions to Employment” was initially set up by Future Regeneration of Grangetown Forum (FROG) in partnership with Coast & Country, after a successful application for £250,000 in lottery funding to start up the project. Now NEP members have awarded a grant of £27,016 to fund another 30 places on the scheme and to support one person to complete their driving instructor training, all for free.

Under the scheme people are given a subsidised training package in return for completing a community based project to give something back to their community. The package includes a free provision driving licence, free theory and practical driving tests and up to 40 subsidised driving lessons.

Following their community based project, the applicants complete an eight week employability course, helping them expand their skills base.

This scheme has helped people secure apprenticeships and work placements in a range of sectors, and all of the young people that have taken part so far have passed their driving theory test. The success of the scheme to date has meant that another driving instructor is needed. The NEP grant will fully fund the training for a new driving instructor, giving a further employment opportunity for an unemployed customer.

Ian Brimer, chief executive of NEP, said: “We are delighted to be able to present our first grant to such a worthy scheme, which is an excellent example of partnership working to engage local people in improving their community and learning new skills at the same time”.