A Lottery-funded scheme is helping to empower the East Marsh community. As well as putting on a wide range of social activities for young and old, the project helps people look for work and improve their skills. In our last feature about the issue of unemployment in the ward, reporter Simon Faulkner visits the team at Empowering My Community.
EMPOWERING My Community is a project that does exactly what it says on the tin.
Based in the Foresight Building in Newmarket Street, the programme was launched last year by East Marsh Involve with funding from the Big Lottery.
Led by project supervisor Cat Howard, her team of four support workers and an army of volunteers, the scheme provides a variety of leisure activities for East Marsh residents, including Zumba and keep-fit classes and play sessions for children.
It also provides invaluable support for those looking to gain employment – vital in a ward which has the sixth highest proportion of out-of-work benefits claimants in the country.
"We support lots of people with job searches and CV writing", says Cat. "There are a lot of people out there looking for jobs and there are a lot of people without access to a computer. We provide computer access and we also support them with their job searches."
Although many people walk into the centre seeking help and advice, the team get out into the community as much as possible to assess the needs of the local residents, having a presence at Freeman Street Market on market days.
And it was through this that the team identified the demand for literacy and numeracy classes and computer courses, which are now running on a rolling basis.
Although providing access to the internet is a major plus, Cat says having staff and volunteers to support people when they walk through the door is just as important.
"Having someone to actually help them is really important. Sometimes it takes that extra support to give them the confidence to apply for jobs."
Cat is under no illusions about how difficult it is for those looking for work.
"A lot of people come in and say they want to apply for jobs, but when they find that the job they are looking for is not out there and they come to a dead-end it is disheartening for them. There are a lot of people looking for jobs, but very few vacancies."
But Cat believes that the current bleak situation makes projects like this even more imperative.
And as well as the direct impact the programme is having in terms of job creation – three posts created since the start of the year – it is having wider benefits in terms of employability.
"Our volunteers are gaining new skills and experience as well as developing the experience they already have. And when it comes to looking for work, that can only be a good thing."
Editor's Comment EMPOWERING the whole of the community of the East Marsh to make a change. A posh way of saying that people need to be given the confidence and financial backing to change the way they live their lives. That, in turn, will help them to pull others along with them and fight against those whose sole aim is to cause problems, destruction and mayhem. A few people given this opportunity to make a change can pull others with them and suddenly the thugs become the minority with an over-riding sense of community taking a driving seat. Can this happen in areas like the East Marsh? It is indeed not alone, the issues that are faced there are repeated right across Britain. Well, yes it can happen – it will not be overnight, but there are more than enough decent people who live there to make a positive impact. Momentum and energy, though, will need to be maintained on a long-term basis, a short-term boost will be here today and gone tomorrow. The finance, support and help must be there in the longer term. Follow the editor on Twitter @michellelalor
