March 10, 2023

A project, which supports people aged 18 years and over who face multiple and complex barriers move towards and into employment, has helped over 500 people across Barrow and South Lakeland gain employment, access training and search for jobs.

The Building Better Opportunities My Future project, funded by the European Social Fund and The National Lottery Community Fund, closes on the 30th of June 2023. To celebrate its successes and social impact since starting in 2017, two special events were held in Barrow and Kendal recently.

The project is led by Cumbria Council for Voluntary Service in partnership with three charitable organisations – Right2Work, Women’s Community Matters and Cumbria Addictions Advice And Solutions (CADAS) and in February hosted their final stakeholder events, at the Abbey House Hotel in Barrow and Castle Green Hotel in Kendal, to share learning from its final evaluation undertaken by Adam Pearson and Emma Slater from PS Research.

Cumbria CVS’ Chair Mike Taylor, CEO David Allen and Operations Manager Alison Phillips opened the events and praised the work undertaken by the partnership, reflecting on the challenges, and discussed continuation funding through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

PS Research presented statistics demonstrating the continued need for the project, outlined the challenges faced by project participants and the partnership alike, and highlighted useful learning.

Lord Lieutenant Claire Hensman drew the Barrow event to a close with a poignant speech highlighting the importance of securing funding to allow the project to continue to help local people address complex barriers to unemployment.

BBO My Future Project Manager Natalia Wealleans-Turner told guests that the “project had made a quantifiable impact locally and that an independent calculation in 2021 showed that every £1 invested in the project has yielded an indicative social return on investment of £3.37”.

“The project doesn’t just aim to help people into employment, we also help them to improve their mental health well-being, confidence and autonomy, which in turn helps them become more employment ready.” said Ms Wealleans-Turner.

She explained that the project delivered a range of activities to support participants to improve skills, reduce social isolation and to meet new people and try new things. Activities included weekly cooking on a budget sessions, Llama walking and photography workshops.

Both events saw over 40 guests attend; the presentations were well received, and guests took the opportunity to network and to speak with the BBO My Future partnership and the PS Research teams. A final evaluation report, undertaken with stakeholders and the wider Voluntary and Community Sector, will be shared in in the coming weeks.

For more information about the project visit www.bbomyfuture.org.uk or search for Building Better Opportunities My Future on Facebook.