How can CHART help me?

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

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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 their interests and aspirations:

1. Green space volunteering: Opportunities to improve health and wellbeing and develop transferable skills through gardening and conservation activities that will improve and maintain our local green spaces for future generations.
2. Employability support: Tailored help to consider and address personal and practical barriers to work, for example, transport, caring responsibilities, lack of confidence, limited work experience, skills or qualifications. This includes creating bespoke action plans, writing CVs, supported work-experience and volunteering, thinking about training opportunities
3. Skills Development: Training and skills development within horticulture, land-based and conservation activities

Contact: Michelle Pletsch
Email: michelle.pletsh@groundwork.org.uk

View Facebook page
www.groundwork.org.uk/projects/greener-futures/?hub=416

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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.

Contact: Jayne Jeffrey
Email: Jayne.Jeffrey@optivo.org.uk

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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 email: info@ldbgroup.co.uk
Visit Let's Do Business Group website

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.

To register an interest in occupying one of the units please contact the council’s agents Dyer and Hobbis email:

ahobbis@dyerandhobbis.com or Tel: 01424 423626.

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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.

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

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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
• Education Training Consortium 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.

Contact:Theresa Gasson
Email: tgasson@fsncharity.co.uk
www.fsncharity.co.uk

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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.

Email: info@theob.org.uk
theobserverbuilding.org.uk

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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.

Email:employability@hastings.gov.uk