How can CHART help me?

These are the projects providing support services to people and businesses in the CHART areas

Live, Work, Thrive

Lead organisation: Hastings Borough Council - Housing Options Strategic partner: Rother District Council

Delivery partners:

• Education Futures Trust
• Fellowship of St Nicholas
• Sussex Community Development Association

Who will we be supporting?

People aged 18+ who are currently out of work and are homeless, or at risk of homelessness. This includes unemployed people needing support to get back into work and also those who have not been actively seeking work, whether because of a disability, caring responsibilities, or for any other reason, but would like help to return to the world of work.

Project summary

The Live, Work, Thrive Project is a partnership project lead by Hastings Borough Council alongside strategic partner Rother District council, and delivered with local partners Education Futures Trust, The Fellowship of St Nicholas and Sussex Community Development Association.

Live, Work, Thrive will take a holistic approach to working with individuals, addressing their employment, health and housing needs. The project will work with those furthest away from the labour market to access and sustain employment, training or education, with a view to ultimately supporting them into paid employment and integrating them into their communities. Alongside this, the Live, Work, Thrive coaches will also support participants to address any physical or mental health needs they may have, as well as helping them to access and sustain long term suitable housing.

The project will bring together these three pillars of housing, employment and health - recognising that without being supported, vulnerable people are unable to access or sustain positive outcomes in which they can thrive.

Starting: October 2020

Contact: Ella Hancock - Live Work Thrive Project Manager
Email: liveWorkThrive@Hastings.gov.uk

Bexhill and Sidley Working Together

Lead organisation: Sussex Community Development Association (SCDA)

Delivery partners:

• Rother District Council
• Hastings Advice and Representation Centre
• Rother Voluntary Action

Who will we be supporting?

People aged 18+ who are and living in Central Bexhill and Sidley. This includes unemployed people needing support to get back into work and those who have not been actively seeking work, whether because of a disability, caring responsibilities, or for any other reason, but would like help to return to the world of work.

Project summary

A partnership project that will mobilise community-based resources to address barriers to employment in Central Bexhill and Sidley.

SCDA will offer bespoke, personalised action plans for those who are inactive and unemployed specifically looking at aspirations and recognising multiple circumstances that are hindering people to find and maintain work.

Additionally, RVA will provide outreach and volunteering.

Aiming to start: Autumn 2020

Greener Futures

Lead organisation: Groundwork South

Who are we supporting?

People aged 18+ who are currently out of work and living in CHART areas. This includes unemployed people needing support to get back into work and those who have not been actively seeking work, whether because of a disability, caring responsibilities, or for any other reason, but would like help to return to the world of work.

Project summary

To support CHART residents into employment and volunteering through a range of opportunities in local green spaces, boosting health, wellbeing and community connections. Participants can enter the project in a range of ways depending on interests and aspirations:

1. Work Preparation: Tailored help to address/overcome personal and practical barriers (i.e. transport/caring responsibilities, lack of confidence/limited work experience, skills or qualifications). support or group work offering Information Advice and Guidance (IAG) wrap around health and well-being support, mentoring, job coaching, employer engagement and links within the local community.
2. Skills Development: Offering accredited training within horticulture and land based employment i.e. Awards in Horticulture & Employability For careers in other sectors, work with local training providers regarding shared referrals, provide support with employers, short course and apprenticeship provision, with participants undergoing an initial assessment to identify their needs, abilities and learning styles and flexible teaching taking into account individual needs and responsibilities.
3. Health & Wellbeing/Green Space Improvements: Volunteering as a strategy to involve local people of all ages and develop better community cohesion and a route-way to activity and employment. Green based activities include: planting of beds/shrubs and trees, general park maintenance, learning transferable gardening/food growing skills and conservation activities to improve and maintain our local green spaces for future generations.

Starting: October 2020

Contact: Teresa Flower
Email: teresa.flower@groundwork.org.uk
www.groundwork.org.uk/projects/greener-futures/?hub=416

Active Hastings Academy

Lead organisation: Hastings Borough Council - Active Hastings

Who are we supporting?

People aged 18+ who are currently out of an work living in CHART areas. This includes unemployed people needing support to get back into work and those who have not been actively seeking work, whether because of a disability, caring responsibilities, or for any other reason, but would like help to return to the world of work.

Project summary

Providing opportunities for unemployed adults, living in the CHART areas in Hastings, to prepare for, and move into, education or training, job search or employment, by improving employability and key life skills through a sports-themed personal development programme.

The project uses sport as an engagement tool, however, this is not just about the participants taking part in sport. It is about building confidence and self-esteem; overcoming behavioural issues; finding out what people are good at and supporting them into regular sports participation, volunteering, training and potential employment and gaining life skills.

Starting: October 2020

Contact: Georges Gouet
Email: activehastings@hastings.gov.uk
Phone: 01424 451051

Work Smart

Lead organisation: Optivo

Who are we supporting?

People aged 18+ who are currently out of work and living in CHART areas. This includes unemployed people needing support to get back into work and those who have not been actively seeking work, whether because of a disability, caring responsibilities, or for any other reason, but would like help to return to the world of work.

Project summary

This project focuses on supporting those out of work to find sustainable employment. Work Smart offers a personal job coaching service, supporting and inspiring clients for the duration of their journey. Through links with employers and knowledge of the local job market Work Smart will bridge skill gaps enabling clients to access current opportunities.

This community based project focuses on real local employment opportunities, as opposed to generally improving skills. This is a long term approach encouraging the participant to address multiple issues during their time on project.

Starting: October 2020

Contact: Lisa Buckland
Email: lisa.buckland@optivo.org.uk

Churchfields business support for small businesses and pre-entrepreneurs

Who are we supporting?

People aged 16+ living in CHART areas who have an idea for starting a local business or becoming self-employed.

We can also support new or existing sole traders, micro businesses and small and medium-sized enterprises situated in CHART areas.

This is a further CHART project running alongside the build being provided by Let's do Business to provide business support activity and manage the space during the CHART programme.

Starting: October 2020

Let's Do Business contact: Emily Wright
Let's Do Business email: info@ldbgroup.co.uk
www.letsdobusinessgroup.co.uk/chart

Churchfields Business Centre development project

Lead organisation: Hastings Borough Council - Estates Services

The CHART funding is going towards a capital build for a classroom and training space within the wider development of Churchfields Business Centre which will create incubator hubs.

The Firs, Invest for Life

Lead organisation: Education Futures Trust

Project summary

Providing 5 equipment libraries, 2 enterprise kiosks and an enterprise hub located at The Firs, which will provide enterprise and employment facilities for those who are furthest from the workplace.

The equipment libraries will be focussed on practical skills: carpentry, bike maintenance/creation, repairs and maintenance, horticulture, grounds and woodland management, sport and recreation and catering.

The kiosks will provide flexible spaces where food can be prepped, merchandise can be sold and opportunities provided for employment, self-employment, enterprise and getting closer to the workplace.

Who will we be supporting?

People aged 16+ living in CHART areas who have an idea for starting a local business or becoming self-employed. We can also support new or existing sole traders, micro businesses and small and medium-sized enterprises situated in CHART areas.

Start date to be confirmed

Contact: Carole Dixon
Email: office@educationfuturestrust.org
www.educationfuturestrust.org/the-firs

Working To Capacity - Skills and learning in the Community (SLiC)

Lead organisation: Fellowship of St Nicholas

Strategic Partners:

• Chapel Park Community Centre
• Education Futures Trust
• ETC Sussex
• Hastings Furniture Service
• Little Gate Farm

Who are we supporting?

People aged 18+ who are currently out of work and living in CHART areas. This includes unemployed people needing support to get back into work and those who have not been actively seeking work, whether because of a disability, caring responsibilities, or for any other reason, but would like help to return to the world of work.

Project summary

Enabling disadvantaged and vulnerable learners from the most deprived communities in the CHART area to receive a high quality and seamless service, progressing from one trusted provider to another in a supported transition.

Providing a seamless service for all community learners to progress and build on initial achievement; enabling them to compete successfully in the labour market and benefit employers. Create a coherent learner voice that can shape the services and education offer they need.

Building capacity within the SLiC partnership to enable negotiation as one entity, to compete for larger contracts to deliver high quality community learning. Develop close partnership working so SLiC can compete on an equal basis with large scale education and learning providers, supporting organisations to be more resilient and effective. Agree quality standards for members of SLiC to provide the highest standard and excellence of service. Create a legacy of the CHART programme beyond March 2022.

Starting: date October 2020

Contact: Michelle Hooper
Email: mhooper@fsncharity.co.uk
www.fsncharity.co.uk

Life Changing at the Observer Building

Lead organisation: White Rock Neighbourhood Ventures

Project summary

The Observer Building (OB) consists of seven storeys, of which three (First, Ground and Alley) have entrances from ground level, due to the topography of the area. This unique building originally opened in 1924 as the Hastings Observer newspaper headquarters but has been derelict for 35 years.

CHART is supporting the wider redevelopment of the Observer Building Project to create a major asset in Hastings, contributing to the costs of essential repair and construction works to a total of 790 m2. This development will create an environment where local individuals and businesses, particularly those that might struggle to fund affordable space otherwise, can thrive. The project includes supporting local enterprises and potential entrepreneurs.

Who will we be supporting?

People aged 16+ living in CHART areas who have an idea for starting a local business or becoming self-employed.

We can also support new or existing sole traders, micro businesses and small and medium-sized enterprises situated in CHART areas.

Starting: early 2021

Contact: Rhonda MacLean
Email: info@theob.org.uk
theobserverbuilding.org.uk

Resettlement Employability Project

Lead organisation: Hastings Borough Council

Who will we be supporting?

Syrian and people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities aged 18+ who are currently out of work and living in CHART areas. This includes unemployed people needing support to get back into work and those who have not been actively seeking work, whether because of a disability, caring responsibilities, or for any other reason, but would like help to return to the world of work.

Project summary

This project extends support for Syrian refugees and other BAME communities to settle in Hastings and St Leonards with a focus on employability. Providing 1:1 employment support ensuring that clients feel confident, empowered and able to integrate into the wider community and contribute towards the local economy.

Develop service provider partnerships and improve relationships within the BAME and wider community.

Utilise peer mentoring to deliver additional localised support to improve the integration of marginalised families and communities, help to combat discrimination and support growth in employment within the BAME community.

Starting: later in 2020