Title of Project – CashBack Connections
Theme – Journey to Employment
Target Group – Young people disadvantaged by: –
- Living in areas of deprivation; and
- Being unemployed, not in education or training; and
- Being at risk of being involved in antisocial behaviour, offending/re-offending
Age range : 18 to 24 years
Total number of young people the project expects to work with : 500
Summary of Project
CashBack Connections is a 2-year programme which will target young people in stage 1 and 2 of the employability pipeline.
Each young person will be assigned a dedicated youth coach who will support them throughout the project. They will develop a holistic individual action plan (IAP), based on the customer’s needs and strengths. Each young person will then participate in an intensive learning and training programme focusing on employability and wellbeing which will be delivered over five days and include mindset and confidence building, SQA employability award Level 3/4, employability advice, CV writing, mock interviews, application support, wellbeing sessions and motivational talks.
The programme will encourage young people to access positive activities, to broaden their horizons, gain new skills, and build wellbeing/confidence. Activities will be spot purchased through a Positive Activity Pot. These will be demand led, focused on improving their employability and are likely to include football classes, boxing and yoga classes, martial arts, health and beauty classes, beekeeping, drama classes, and wellbeing sessions. Volunteering opportunities such as peer mentoring or volunteer coaches’ roles will be created. External volunteering opportunities will be arranged with Volunteer Glasgow and Project Scotland.
Following their attendance at the employability and wellbeing programme, young people will be supported on an ongoing basis and, typically every two months, an IAP review will be conducted. Meaningful work placements ( of one or two weeks duration) or college visits will be arranged as young people progress. Young people may undertake one or more work placements, tasters or trials as appropriate. Taster sessions will be arranged with City of Glasgow College, Glasgow Kelvin College, Ayrshire College and West College Scotland and will provide young people with opportunities to explore further education.
Where appropriate, the Wise Group will deliver training, including SQA core skills or vocational qualifications such as the CSCS card, SIA badge, first aid, food hygiene, and conflict resolution.
Areas in which the project will be delivered
East Ayrshire (75 young people)– Kilmarnock (including Shortlees), Altonhill, Longpark, Hillhead, Doon Valley and Hurlford
Glasgow (350 young people) – Parkhead, Shettleston, Cranhill, Dalmarnock, Easterhouse, Barlanark, and Carnwadric, Drumchapel, Maryhill, Possilpark, Milton, Keppochhill , Pollok, Glenwood and Springburn
Inverclyde (75 young people) – Port Glasgow, Greenock, Larkfield, Lower Bow, Fancy Farm and Mallard Rd