The Move On Project launches in partnership with Homes England

Local resident secures full-time job thanks to brand-new employability programme in partnership with Tyne Housing and government housing agency Homes England. Tyne Housing, a charitable housing association that supports vulnerable adults across Tyneside has launched an all-new programme to help its residents and the local community get back into work.

Dan Evans*, 26  is the first resident to move into one of these properties after expressing his keenness to start work to his support worker. Within just a week of moving in, Dan has received a full-time job offer at a large call centre in Newcastle. This will be Dan’s first permanent position in four years.

Dan himself puts a large part of this down to his employment coach Debbie Brown. Alongside funding for homes, the programme pays for a  full-time employability coach to work alongside residents and the wider community to provide support, training, and guidance to those who are looking to take steps towards employment.

The ‘Move-on programme’ aims to help those who are currently living in emergency or supported accommodation move forward to independent living. The programme has been made possible thanks to funding from government housing agency Homes England to purchase twelve properties that can be let at affordable rents for those moving out of supported living into their own home.

Steve Mckinlay, CEO at Tyne Housing said: ‘This is a really exciting new project for us to take on, adding another dimension to Tyne’s offer for supporting vulnerable adults across the North East. The initial idea for this programme came through resident feedback, showing us there was a real need for something to plug the gap when it came to the transition between supported housing and independent living.

The programme does exactly that, working with residents on a one-to-one basis, supporting them to develop their skills and confidence as they move forward and re-enter the job market.’

The programme was approved in summer 2019 and is already seeing impressive results with five residents having just completed an intensive 12-week employability course where they worked alongside their employability coach, receiving training across a number of modules from employment law, equality, and diversity to interview techniques and communication skills.

Michael, 33 who has been out of work for almost three years now is one of the first to graduate from the course. He said,  ‘It’s just been brilliant, and different to anything I’ve done before. We’ve all come along every Monday from different places and it’s actually been good fun. As well as learning loads I’ve made new friends and feel much more confident to start work. I’m now going to get sorted with my SIA badge so I can start applying for security jobs which is something I’ve wanted to do for ages, but haven’t felt ready for.’

Alongside the funding for the employability coach, the Homes England support has provided the funds to purchase twelve new homes that can be let at affordable rent levels, making it possible for people to still receive support as they move toward independent living.

*Names have been changed to protect residents’ confidentiality.

Ref: https://www.tynehousing.org.uk/tyne-stories/the-move-on-project/