Community Renewal Fund
In early Summer 2022, the Hub was informed of a six-month extension to the UK Community Renewal Fund (CRF) programme. This enabled it to cast its net of support further and introduce development courses for families accessing social care services which utilised outdoor adventure activities to increase participation and engagement, develop confidence and improve family relationships and communication.
This development along with the other projects drew to a close at the end of December 2022 with the following achieved:
Confidently You
This focused on reducing social isolation, building resilience, increasing confidence/self-esteem, developing soft practical, financial, digital and employability skills, volunteering, gaining qualifications, improving physical and mental health.
It provided significant support for participants with weekly activities including different forms of training, adventurous activities, art and crafts, and achieved the following:
- 56 participants were supported and all claimed the programme had improved their social inclusion and reduced social barriers
- 46 participants attended training or educational sessions
It was phenomenally successful and this powerful 7-minute video on Vimeo captures participants talking about the project, their background story and how Confidently You has transformed their lives.
Therapeutic Counselling
This was short-term work-focussed counselling and/or coaching to support people to overcome mental health barriers to employment which was led by RCS Wales. They supported 50 participants with 84% reporting that their ability to work improved as a result of the intervention and 84% reporting that their health also improved.
Mental Health Recovery College
The main product of this project was an Innovation Plan to set out the basis for a Mental Health Recovery College for Conwy.
The plan was based on consultation, discussions with stakeholders and coproduction work with people volunteering to take part - both as individuals who have lived experience of mental illness and as representatives of organisations wishing to be involved. The Plan identified that a Mental Health Recovery College would be of benefit to the county and avenues for funding are now being explored.
Pathway and Development Courses
There were two distinct elements of the Programme. The Pathway Courses provided sector specific training to participants who are work ready that focussed on sectors for which there is a proven local demand. The Development Courses sought to engage with people further away from the labour market to get them interested in development options as part of a longer journey towards paid employment.
- 36 courses were held
- 149 participants successfully completed a course
- 31 participants were supported to gain employment
- 69 participants were supported to gain a qualification
- 24 participants were supported to engage in life skills
- 84 participants gained qualifications that aren't OFQUAL registered
Library Community Recovery Hubs
This was a pilot project delivering services at libraries that service providers usually deliver from their own premises or were previously unavailable locally. The phase was successful with the services accessed 2,774 times with 261 support and discussion sessions held with individual participants and it is hoped that this will continue.
The CRF programme was a success in achieving economic benefits to the participants and also for the employer particularly given the current skills and labour shortages, and the positive difference the projects have made to many peoples' lives should not be underestimated.