A partnership of six West Yorkshire voluntary and community organisations has secured a Big Lottery Fund and grant to help individuals from the regions most socially excluded families.
The first programme of its kind in West Yorkshire, ‘Hopeful Families’ will help over 620 individuals who are out of work to build their confidence and overcome the challenges they face in finding employment. The programme will be personally tailored to individual needs and will include help with personal development, health and wellbeing, and to develop life-skills including digital technology.
The programme aims to benefit local communities by reducing poverty and anti-social behaviour.
Halifax Opportunities Trust and lead partner, Pluss, will begin to deliver the £2.4 million programme in June for the next three years alongside partners Yorkshire Children’s Centre, Groundwork, Dominion Training and NOVA.
Halifax Opportunities Trust’ Chief Executive, Alison Haskins, said “We are really pleased that Halifax Opportunities Trust is one of the partners delivering the Hopeful Families programme. This programme builds on the Trust’s excellent record of working closely with local people to develop new skills and to support their personal growth which supports their own ambitions, aspirations for their families and for the type of employment they want to find”
Pluss’ Chief Executive, Steve Hawkins, said “Hopeful Families will support hundreds of people across Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield to overcome a range of barriers and build a brighter future for themselves and their families.
“Securing the funds to deliver this programme is a proud moment for all six organisations. Our partnership will deliver significant positive social change at a time when local devolution means West Yorkshire is taking on more responsibility for its own future.”
Hopeful Families has been co-designed over the past six months by people from local communities, and Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield Councils.
Hopeful Families is a new project jointly funded by the Big Lottery Fund and the European Social Fund as part of the Building Better Opportunities programme.
For more information visit www.pluss.org.uk or contact Geraldine Scott-Smith on 07766 367267 or at [email protected]