Skills Builder – A boost for Coastal Employability
Our ground-breaking Skill Builder programme has been awarded a further £15,000 by Coastal Communities for Magna Vitae to continue to develop and improve individuals’ careers across the East Coast.
The Skills Builder Programme was developed to bolster access to skills-based learning and enhance employability for residents post covid.
Like many employers, we were faced with significant recruitment challenge as the UK returned from lockdown. The anxieties surrounding returning to work were felt by many, a shift in routine, a reluctance to change habits, and mass redundancies having an unprecedented impact on the physical and mental well-being of the workforce.
We employ 175 team members across its cultural, leisure and health-related community facilities. However, post covid this number plummeted to just 65.
Funded by the Coastal Communities Fund, we have worked alongside local training providers to develop a 12-week ‘Skills Builder’ programme. The programme benefited our workforce’s return to work whilst also increasing access to employment opportunities for local people out of work and living on the coast.
The Covid-19 pandemic affected everyone differently, and for those who hadn’t worked for six months, it was essential to deliver a programme adapted to their needs and delivered at their pace.
The programme allowed participants to access high-quality training in skills that are in high demand across several industries. Skills such as customer service and manual handling.
“The employability programme has been a massive source of confidence for me, starting out I was unsure of how I’d fit in with a work environment such as this. However, after a couple of weeks I became part of a team that was all working together to help us all achieve our goals, it’s taught me skills that are transferable in any work environment and has prepped me for work later in life,” said programme participant Lilly Darcy.
Twelve individuals completed the programme; eight went on to full-time employment, and the others are actively progressing in their careers. We now employ five participants, and three are actively employed in local organisations.
Aeneas Richardson, Executive Director, Magna Vitae, Community Trust for Leisure and Culture, said: “I am delighted to announce the Skills Builder Programme has been awarded coastal communities funding for a second time. As the cost-of-living crisis ensues, workplace well-being is critical, and we are keen to improve the lives of our community in whatever way we can.”
“We have taken learnings from the programme, which have informed improvements in our staff training and communications, and we are committed to supporting our team and enhancing the well-being of our workforce as we go together into 2023.”
If you would benefit from support or help from Magna Vitae, please email info@mvtlc.org or contact your local coastal leisure venues directly – Skegness Pool & Fitness Suite on 01754 610675 or Station Sports Centre in Mablethorpe on 01507 472129.