Case study: Building Better Opportunities – Getting Cumbria to Work
September 23, 2021
Getting Cumbria to Work: Barrow and South Lakeland (GCtW) is a Building Better Opportunities (BBO) project that serves the local authority areas of South Lakeland and Barrow. This programme is funded by the National Lottery Community Fund and the European Social Fund (ESF) who are co-investing in local projects tackling the root causes of worklessness, promoting social inclusion and driving local jobs and growth. It is one of three projects in Cumbria being funded by the European Social Fund and the National Lottery, through the National Lottery Community Fund and is led by Cumbria CVS.
BBO GCtW aims to support and work with individuals who are facing multiple and complex barriers to employment and who are furthest removed from the labour market. It will help them to move towards and into employment by supporting them to play a greater, more productive role in their communities, demonstrate increased skills and confidence and be much more likely to consider employment or volunteering as a viable prospect.
A Building Better Opportunities Getting Cumbria to Work project key worker who says the project ‘pretty much saved me’ during a very difficult period in her life is now successfully supporting others to move towards employment.
Ann Williams, 42, of Sedbergh, is a BBO GCtW key project worker at Right2Work, one of the project’s delivery partners.
“In the past I felt on my own and that no-one was interested. But the BBO GCtW project recognised me and helped me and that is why I am so keen to help others in a similar situation. People can become lost and the BBO GCtW project can help people to find themselves.”
