Employment & Enterprise

Copeland Community Fund 2022-2025 Strategy continues to prioritise Employment & Enterprise projects. There are 4 areas in which a project may focus:

(1) Employment & Enterprise Projects

• Projects delivering – Advice for Work
  • g. Information, advice and guidance (including CV writing and job searches), employer education focusing on young people
• Projects delivering – Skills for Work
  • g. Sector based work academies, practical activities, basic skills (numeracy, literacy, personal development), targeted engagement, functional skills, work related course/certificate/licences, IT support
• Projects delivering – Experience for Work
  • g. Work experience coordination (all ages), volunteering schemes, traineeships, mentoring / coaching
• Projects delivering – Access into Work
  • g. Apprenticeship schemes/subsidies, job brokerage, graduate scheme, accessibility transport, employer engagement, employment factory

(2) Employment & Enterprise Infrastructure

• To support organisations delivering the Employment & Enterprise agenda. Covering costs which will assist development; training, salaries and associated costs, external evaluations, volunteer expenses

(3) Project based – Creating Jobs and/or Safeguarding Jobs

• Employment and training as direct outputs
• Sustainability
• Developing a community business
• Entrepreneurs
• Social Enterprises

(4) Pathways into Employment & Enterprise

• Projects which support individuals to overcome barriers into work
• Financial and / or digital inclusion to support pathways to unpaid and paid employment
• Access to and jobs created or safeguarded for projects with health and wellbeing output
  • g. Supporting homelessness, domestic violence, mental health, isolation, disability, or age specific targeted projects.

• Projects must demonstrate that they can meet the NDA Socio Economic Strategy.
• Projects will be assessed on value for money / unit cost per job – For every £25,000 of grant, applicants must be able to create at least 1 new full-time equivalent sustainable job.
• Organisations can apply for the Employment & Enterprise Fund on an individual basis, however, CCF also looks favourably on collaborative projects.
• Applications to the Fund require match funding of:
  • 25% for projects with a grant request £3K to £25K
  • 50% for projects with a grant request in excess of £25k
• Any project wishing to apply should consider how they can achieve and demonstrate a mix of the following outputs:
  • Number of people employed locally
  • Percentage of people living locally employed by the project (Converted into FTE)
  • Graduates retained in the local workforce two years after completing a graduate training programme
  • Number of people employed who were previously unemployed for a year or longer
  • Number of people who were not in employment, education, or training (NEETS) who have a job as a result of the project
  • Number of people employed as a result of the project who are rehabilitating young offenders (18-24 years old)
  • Number of people employed locally as a result of the project who are people with disabilities
  • Number of hours dedicated to supporting local unemployed people into work through a co-ordinated programme, by providing career mentoring, including mock interviews, CV advice, and careers guidance (16-24 years old)
  • Early years primary and nursery support (e.g. breakfast clubs, ‘brokerage’ etc.) provided as a result of the projing fundedect be
  • General engagement or support to enable general engagement with local young people through educational outreach
  • Number of school pupils involved in the project, annually
  • Attainment rates in relation to benchmark (i.e. before project) and the changes you are expecting to benchmark after the project has finished
  • Attainment gap per Pupil Premium pupil against (local) benchmark
  • Expert, qualified engagement or support to enable expert, qualified engagement through a coordinated programme with (local) young people through educational outreach e.g delivering careers talks, curriculum support, literacy support, safety talks.
  • Number of apprenticeships that have either been completed during the year, or that will be supported by the organisation to completion in the following years – Level 2, 3 or 4
  • Number of weeks spent on work placements or pre-employment course for people locally: 1-6 weeks student placements (unpaid)
  • Number of weeks spent on meaningful local work placements or pre-employment course (minimum 5 days) for people who are Not in Employment, Education or Training
  • Meaningful local work placements that pay minimum or National Living wage according to eligibility – 6 week more (internships)
• Capital costs to support revenue projects may be considered on an individual project basis.
• Exclusions for the Employment & Enterprise Fund include:
  • Faith based activities and venues
  • Direct replacement of activities which are a statutory obligation

Please contact Copeland Community Fund on 07833048986 or [email protected] for further information, guidance and support prior to submitting a funding application.