The AFC Fylde Community Foundation is celebrating the launch of two new initiatives thanks to funding from its corporate partner, Cuadrilla.
Launching this month, The Back on Track employability programme will work with 180 disadvantaged and disengaged members of the community over the next 12 months, with the aim of getting more local residents back into work.
The project has been designed to meet the needs of those living in Fylde, with recent figures showing the number of people now claiming JobSeeker’s Allowance and Universal Credit has risen to 685 in the region.
Funding has also enabled The Foundation to start recruitment for a new Employability Officer. The successful candidate will be responsible for helping adults to gain employment through a range of interventions, including mentoring participants and engaging with programme partners and employers in the local community.
The Foundation’s first Independent Living Programme for People with Disabilities will also launch later this month, to provide support to young people and adults with learning and physical disabilities.
Over 200 14-18 year olds will benefit from the scheme in 2018, which aims to enhance the lives of those on the programme by teaching them the skills needed to live independently, while helping them gain access to employment.
Cuadrilla’s support has already had a profound impact on the community, with 9,000 individuals benefitting from access to the Foundation’s many community outreach programmes and services in 2017.
Funding will also see the continuation of the Striking Futures Traineeship Programme and enrichment scheme, Train Like A Pro.
The Striking Futures Traineeship Programme will take on its fourth cohort of trainees this Spring, while hundreds of disadvantaged children are expected to benefit from participating in the successful Train Like A Pro programme throughout the year.
All projects will be delivered at Mill Farm Sports Village and within the wider community, starting at the end of January 2018.
Tom Hutton, director of community development at the AFC Fylde Community Foundation, said: “We’re delighted to continue our partnership with Cuadrilla. We’ve successfully identified a gap in local services and the funding will help us to change lives throughout Fylde.”
Francis Egan, Cuadrilla’s CEO, commented: “We are proud to support the delivery of these programmes and reach people who really need our help. It is important to us as a company to provide people access to rewarding initiatives, which can really be life changing.”
