Unemployed initiative in Liverpool gets further funding

An initiative which has helped over 800 jobseekers in Liverpool over the last 12 months has been granted funding to continue for another two years.

Springboard provides tailored support to the long-term unemployed. It also targets those who may already be in work but are frequently in and out of temporary employment and therefore at higher risk of money troubles.

Liverpool City Council funded the pilot but the initiative proved such as success that Riverside, which delivers the project, has put up the funding itself to allow the project to continue for the next two years.

Springboard project manager Claire Bland said: “The secret of Springboard’s success is that our staff have a unique relationship with the target group, unlike other agencies which find it more difficult to engage with the long-term unemployed.”

A team of project officers help break down barriers by offering support on CV writing, job searching, applying for roles and interview techniques. They also offer advice on benefits, calculating how the tenant would be better off in employment than on benefits.

Since Springboard was launched in April 2010, Riverside has engaged with over 800 people, registered over 540 to the programme and helped over 130 into employment and training.

It has also enabled nearly 90 people to gain a formal qualification, from the Construction Skills Certification Scheme to NVQs in beauty, and more than 50 people have benefited from soft skills training such as confidence building.