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Recent Projects
Employment for the Faithful

Employment for the Faithful is a Jobcentre Plus ESF Co-funded initiative delivered by Bridging the Gap (Bristol) Ltd (BtG). This programme is aimed at targeting the hard to reach and often-isolated groups of different faith communities by directly approaching faith centres and their leaders, raising their awareness about the provision and services of Jobcentre Plus. This is envisaged to link Jobcentre Plus and faith centres to enable them to work closely for the benefit of all communities.

This programme is based upon the ability and strength of BtG to access and reach out to the local faith communities across the West of England District. We will also be working with positive role models, in the respective faith communities, to inspire and motivate their unemployed counterparts. With the help of a Community Outreach Advisor, from BtG, individuals can visit their local Job Centre to see a Job Centre Advisor and talk about work opportunities that can fit-in alongside their daily religious commitments. This in-turn would help Jobcentre Plus to offer culturally and religiouusly sensitive services to different faith communities.

The life cycle of this project extends from 4th January 2005 to 31st December 2005. We held our project launch event on the 9th March 2005 at the Salvation Army Church Hall in Hassal Drive Easton. At this stage we are now actively engaged to link with all faith groups and communities either already playing an active role in the social and economic uplift of their clients or looking to particpate in the social action. This will be an excellent opportunity for small faith based groups and faith centres to become involved in community activites because BtG can provide some financial assistance to these organisations and their clients as part of the programme.

Are you interested to know more about this project or would like to work with us? Then please contact Ahmad Ali or Joey Fagtongpun at 0117 970 5820 or e-mail ahmad@bridging.org.uk

If you would like to download a flyer for this programme please click on the image below:

PDF File - 117KB  (Length of Document - 2pages)
Refugee & BME Employment Action Project

This is a partnership project between Bridging the Gap (Bristol) Ltd (BtG), Silai for Skills and Employment Links funded through Neighbourhood Renewal. We aim to build capacity of local BME service providers to deliver high quality employment information, advice and guidance to their clients.

The wards of Easton and Lawrence Hill have very specific issues relating to ethnicity and employment. Many of the local BME and Refugee population have a high percentage of unemployment while having skills that the local labour market needs. These people require support to start work and fully participate in society.

BtG will work with partner organisations to deliver a focussed outreach service. The service will be based entirely within the community organisations. At the end of the project there will be eight trained BME employment advisors, with a Level 3 qualification in Advice and Guidance.

Discussions have been held with a number of organisations including Jobcentre Plus who will also be on the Project Steering Group.

 

Jobcentre Plus Flexifund Project

Bridging the Gap (BtG) works in partnership with Jobcentre Plus to establish and maintain close working relationships to ensure that participants can develop their potential whilst they are part of the Programme, and move forward into employment, New Deal or other vocational training opportunities.

The target group for this project is BME individuals. We aim to ensure that as far as possible all venues used for consultation and training are fully accessible. Moreover we aim to ensure venues for consultation are local to the participant and are culturally appropriate. The project consists of three distinct elements Initial Assessment, Support Package, and Qualification Conversion. The Initial Assessment will be the point of contact for the participant with the Community Support Worker (CSW). It is envisaged that at this phase dialogue will commence and an action plan will be completed over the two hours allocated.

The second phase of the project, the Support Package, follows on after the initial assessment and runs for a period 8 weeks of 4 hours per week. At this stage the CSW offers intensive support to realise the participants aims which were formulated in the action plan. This will incorporate one-to-one support and mentoring to build confidence, breakdown barriers and empower participants. Participants will also be offered ESOL support, specialist support, advice on benefits, housing and advice and guidance.

The final provision in this project is Qualification Conversion which can be offered without accessing the two previous provisions. At Bridging the Gap (BtG) we are able to match and verify qualifications gained overseas, to UK equivalents, via liaising with UKNARIC based in Cheltenham. 4 hours is allocated to this provision.

 





How to contact us.

Initial contact should be made via the main office by telephone or through referral by another support organisation.

Once initial assessment has taken place, any further contact should be made directly to your assigned Community Support Worker, who will have informed you of the best way to keep in touch. Initial contact details:

Bridging the Gap, Brunswick Court, Brunswick Square, Bristol,
BS2 8PE

Tel: (0117) 970 5820,
Fax: (0117) 942 6763,

Email: contact@bridging.org.uk