Back in the summer, CMA Launceston applied for grants from Tesco and the National Lottery to support a multi facetted project to be run over 3 months (commencing October 2020). This project aims to provide practical face to face support and signposting to local agencies and charities who are able to offer practical help and support to local people who find themselves unemployed as a direct result of the Covid pandemic, To help them get back to work.
Both applications were successful and to date, we have used the funding to pay for room rental, disposable cups and a range of PPE items including a hand-held thermometer, Perspex desk screens, hand sanitizers etc.
The project commenced on October 7th and provides face to face support in a fully Covid-secure environment at the Gateway Centre on Wednesday mornings from 10 to 1. The project is initially planning to run until December 16th.
We have timed appointments so we can be Covid compliant and people can either get in touch directly via email office@launcestonmoney.co.uk or leave a message on our office mobile 07762 092830 to ask for an appointment or be referred by one of the partner organisations
Social distancing, face masks, temperature checks, hand sanitisers, track and trace and Perspex screens are all in use
- The core project team includes:
- CMA Launceston
- Launceston Salvation Army
- Launceston’s Orchard Centre
- Launceston’s ‘Step into Learning’
- Konnect (Kernow Action for Employment)
- Launceston Job Centre
In the first few weeks – the project has:
- Helped a young girl better prepare herself for a job interview the following day
- Suggested ways in which an unemployed person could better advertise himself and the skills he has to offer
- Provided practical navigation and support to someone returning to the job market after a period of working abroad, unfamiliar with the UK benefit system and looking for an executive opportunity in the south west
- Met a young person and his parents unsure of the opportunities available to him and told him about the UK Government support available, apprenticeships in the area etc – we were able to introduce him to someone who is now acting as his work coach at the job centre
- Referred someone to CMA Launceston to help focus on budgeting and getting out of debt now he no longer has a job
- Helped several people engage with the support services Step into Learning and Konnect have to offer
So – everyone involved believes it is important to provide practical support and advice to those in our local community who find themselves unemployed as a result of Covid19. By working together – we can go beyond signposting and make introductions to the actual people providing arrange of support services and in doing so, help identify and close the gaps between agencies.
