The announcement comes as £296,000 has been successfully awarded by all five district councils for the continuation of the programme through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF).
OxLEP Skills is delighted to announce the continuation of the ‘No Limits‘ programme, which was established in November 2022 as part of the Social Contract Programme, a £1.7million programme of activity to support those communities most impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic and moving forwards, the cost-of-living crisis, funded by the government’s Contain Outbreak Management Fund via Oxfordshire County Council and led by OxLEP Skills.
Throughout 19 food larders and other community settings across Oxfordshire, the ‘No Limits’ programme has supported over 600 individuals with skills and employability support, digital devices and travel bursaries.
The programme is being delivered through two of Oxfordshire’s most enterprising charities, SOFEA Didcot and Aspire Oxfordshire and is now set to continue through to March 2025.
The programme aims to target five groups identified as the people most in need in our communities:
- Young people who have experienced education disturbance and/or unemployment, or at risk of NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training)
- Minority ethnic communities who could benefit from improved social mobility
- Those furthest from the labour market, with employment support for those identified as Clinically Extremely Vulnerable (CEV) for Covid and/or affected by the digital divide, food poverty or other socio-economic deprivation
- The over 50s, by offering support which will enable individuals to contribute to the economy into later life through longer and flexible careers
- Residents who are economically inactive who want to get back to work
The programme provides up to 30 hours of 1-1 support with finding employment, education, or training – through support with CV writing, application forms and preparation for interviews.
The programme also offers support through the provision of travel bursaries for getting to interviews or the first month of a job or apprenticeship, if this is a barrier – and the provision of electronic devices, data and informal digital training programmes for individuals experiencing digital poverty.
The programme also has a key focus on green skills within some areas of the county– signposting and raising awareness of green skills courses, available free for residents of these areas.
Other barriers to employment, education or training – such as access to certifications or training – can also be funded through the programme.
The news comes this Employability Day (13 September), an awareness day providing the opportunity for employment support organisations and employers to celebrate their hard work supporting people to enter or progress in employment (an Employment Related Services Association initiative), which this year has the theme ‘Employment Support for Every Citizen’.
Sally Andreou – Skills Hub Manager at OxLEP – said: “OxLEP Skills is delighted to be able to continue the ‘No Limits’ programme with the support of UKSPF funding. We are excited to continue our partnership with SOFEA and Aspire on this project, which aims to help local people gain skills and access resources that can support them into employment.”
Funding has also been secured through the UKSPF to provide courses in sectors where skills are in demand, such as green construction and care, to help people to get closer to employment and/or training. ‘No Limits’ will signpost and create awareness of these courses to open opportunities to new career pathways for Oxfordshire residents that fit into one of the five target groups.
Funding has been received by Cherwell District Council, Oxford City Council, South Oxfordshire District Council, Vale of White Horse District Council and West Oxfordshire District Council for the continuation of the ‘No Limits’ Programme through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF).