Charities play vital role helping people develop skills for the workplace
GIVING PEOPLE SOMEWHERE TO START: Ellie Mumby, a member of the RSPCA Hull & East Riding animal care team, pictured with Robin
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Organisations in the voluntary and community sector are stepping up to help people into employment by offering experiences which will enable them to become work ready.
Rod Chambers, HEY LSIP’s project manager, went behind the scenes with two charities in the region which operate in completely different sectors but which both offer vital training and development opportunities.
Rod said: “You might think that the RSPCA Hull & East Riding and CatZero have little in common but they both provide the support that many people need when it comes to learning the key skills which employers are looking for.
“There are many other voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations in our area where people can receive training in the key skills which all businesses are looking for. It’s not confined to a particular business sector, and it’s not solely aimed at NEETS – those people not in education, employment or training.”
Adrian Tallon, CEO of CatZero, explained that the yacht is at the heart of who the charity is and what it does. The name CatZero comes from the Category Zero maritime coding of its sailing vessel, reflecting a classification with no limits. That idea has become central to CatZero’s approach, helping the people it works with to challenge the barriers they may have faced and recognise what they are capable of achieving.
Adrian said: “It’s about the person and about us meeting them at their starting point, taking them through the programme and building the confidence, resilience and emotional skills that they need for work and for life. The yacht gives us a unique environment to do that, where people can step away from their usual surroundings, reflect and develop the skills they need to move forward.”
He added: “Employers look at our programmes as a 12-week job interview, building resilience, skills and timekeeping. We want to talk to more businesses of all sizes about giving young people a real flavour of what work is like, and then supporting them to take those next steps into employment, with CatZero continuing to provide support along the way.”
VITAL SUPPORT: No limits to the work of CatZero
Fred Owen, chief executive of the RSPCA Hull & East Riding Branch, said the voluntary sector should be seen as an important part of the local employment and skills system with its volunteering and supported workplace experience helping people develop the behaviours and attributes employers are looking for.
He said: “For some people, going straight into employment can be a huge step. They may have been out of work for a long time, have experienced poor mental health, have additional needs or simply lack confidence.
“We give people somewhere to start, whether in animal care, administration, marketing or retail. That might be a few hours a week initially, but they still experience the expectations of a workplace. They learn to arrive on time, work alongside other people, communicate effectively, follow processes, take responsibility and complete tasks. These are the foundations of being work ready.
“We often work with people at a stage when they are not yet ready to walk through an employer’s front door. Our role can be to help them take those first steps, build confidence and rediscover their own abilities. The ambition should not simply be to find someone a job. It should be to help them become the best version of themselves so that, when they do enter employment, they have the confidence and skills to stay there, progress and succeed.”
Rod added: “We encourage businesses across Hull and East Yorkshire to engage with the VCSE sector. There are already some really good examples in our area of meaningful work experience, promoting social value, supporting progression and inclusion, and helping young people develop the necessary skills for their careers.
“As HEY LSIP 2.0 now focuses on the theme of ‘preparation for working life’, we will be exploring as many opportunities as possible to help achieve the outcomes underpinning this theme. We would ask employers and the VCSE sector to please share your examples and experiences with us.”
To find out more about HEY LSIP visit https://www.heylsip.com/
What is an LSIP
A Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) is a statutory, employer-led plan designed to ensure local skills provision reflects the needs of employers, individuals and the wider economy. Its purpose is to:
Provide a clear understanding of current and future skills requirements
Align education and training with labour market demand
Support economic growth, productivity and workforce development.
LSIPs are founded on key principles of being employer-led, evidence-based, collaborative and action-focused.
By bringing together employers, providers, strategic authorities and other partners, they create a shared framework for identifying priorities, agreeing practical actions and developing a more responsive skills system that supports better jobs, career progression and long-term prosperity.
