June 26, 2024

Project Manager for Step Forward into Volunteering and Employment, Shelley Studholme, gives us an update on the programme’s activities and future during a period of change:

The Step Forward Project was funded until July 2024. However, we successfully secured one more year through using funding wisely and delivering a business plan to the NENC ICB NHS funders that proved we could carry on until July 2025. The business plan was accepted and here we are until this time next year… fabulous!

So in the month of June we have successfully recruited a new Employment and Volunteering Liaison Officer, Sarah Bisson, Lee Rose is seconding over from The Glenmore Trust to Cumbria CVS and Sam Peters from Together We is transitioning into Cumbria CVS. Sarah Pearce, our 11 hour admin, is leaving the team but is not going far – Sarah will take up a new role within the wider CVS. Congratulations Sarah and thank you.

So there is a lot of work to implement the changes, but that does not impact our drive and determination to keep raising awareness of Step Forward and having impact in our communities.

We have been busy attending and hosting a stall at the Solway Hall Volunteers’ Fair, Whitehaven for Volunteers’ Week, and supporting the DWP to reach unemployed individuals who may need support with their mental health and promoting the value of volunteering for skill development and self esteem.

We also attended and spoke at Copelands Work and Skills transferable skills session for the 50+ community with Jack McPhillips from Millom Network Centre.

In addition Lee Rose has been supporting Sarah Penn’s Social Prescribing event at Growing Well Tebay and is working on being a deliverer of the Disability Confident Employer Scheme that will enable businesses to obtain the award with support from Lee.

That’s a snippet from us…there is so much more, so please chat to Sam and Lee and find out what they have been busy with.

 

The Step Forward into Volunteering and Employment Service supports individuals living alongside severe and enduring mental health experiences move forward into either work or volunteering opportunities. We are funded through the NENC ICB and are an integrated NHS service hosted by Cumbria CVS. We provide a holistic, aspirational, needs led, person centred aspirational and hopeful service. We work in partnership with Carlisle Eden Mind, Together We and The Glenmore Trust.