Young people Moving On Up with pioneering employment programme

A new report shows £299,004 has been awarded to 24 groups and organisations across the region as part of South Yorkshire Community Foundation’s (SYCF) three-year Moving On Up (MOU) Young People and Employment Grants Programme.

The innovative project was developed by SYCF in response to findings from its Vital Signs research - carried out every three years to respond to the needs of the communities across South Yorkshire.

Vital Signs is the culmination of surveys and face to face consultations with groups in Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield to identify the most pressing current needs in the community.

The 2021 survey highlighted young people pre-employability opportunities and skills as a priority area for young people in the region.

Aspiring Communities Together, in Doncaster, Barnsley’s Jolly Good Communities, The Work-Wise Foundation, in Rotherham and Sheffield-based Goalball UK are just some of the projects and organisation which have benefitted from the Moving On Up funding between January and September 2023.

Successful groups were allocated up to £15,000 - up to £5,000 a year over three years to address unemployment for young people aged 14 to 30 years.

The Learning Community works with disadvantaged individuals in Dinnington and the surrounding areas. It offers support to remove barriers and help people towards a better life.

£15,000 of Moving On Up funding was used to improve the employability, education and entrepreneurial skills of 35 young people aged between 19 and 25 years old through a variety of activities and sessions.

This included pre-employability training development support, confidence and motivation workshops, breaking barriers workshops, A Place of Your Own sessions where participants learned to manage income and expenses independently.

The Learning Community also created pathways to online learning, explored further education and hosted mindfulness sessions and resilience sessions.

Karen Shaw, CEO of The Learning Community, said: “This funding has made such a huge difference to the young people we work with.

“Feedback from community members, families and support providers highlighted significant improvements in quality of life, abilities and goal-setting within the group.

“One of the young people we work with came to England from Ghana last year. A relationship with his partner quickly broke down. After months of homelessness, deprivation, personal heartache and isolation, low level self-worth and confidence, with our support, he secured a paid role at the Citizens Advice Bureau as well as a voluntary role at the City of Sanctuary where his vast experience and historical expertise is a great asset to both organisations.

“He has been an immense pleasure to work with and support despite personal challenges, barriers and hurdles being experienced and faced. He is a prime example of why we do what we do, which is possible thanks to the support of wonderful organisations like South Yorkshire’s Community Foundation.”

Michelle Dickinson, head of philanthropy and programmes for SYCF helped develop MOU. She said: “Moving On Up is a wonderful example of how we are making a positive difference in South Yorkshire’s communities by improving the life skills, education, enterprise and employability of those aged 14 to 30.

“The findings from our 2021 Vital Signs research project showed supporting young people with pre-employability opportunities and skills was a priority area for young people in the region.

“By listening carefully to the needs of our community groups, we have been able to develop tailored and relevant solutions. The funding provided to these organisations through the Moving On Up programme is acting as a catalyst for change in the areas which matter the most.”

The latest data from the Vital Signs 2024 survey was revealed at a special event in October.

Michelle added: “We’d like to thank everybody who contributed to Vital Signs 2024, either by completing our survey or holding a consultation event. The results will be used to help shape future investment in the region and identify the priorities for grant giving in local communities.”