Really Pro Ltd has been successful in securing funding from the UK Government through the UK Community Renewal Fund to offer free skills training and support sessions for businesses and individuals in Pembrokeshire.

Project Manager for Really Pro, David Lewis, says of the new initiative being set up through the fund; “We are thrilled to have received this funding via Pembrokeshire County Council and the UK Government’s Community Renewal Fund to deliver our exciting new THRIVE programme. THRIVE will give access to opportunities that can help get people into employment and offer businesses invaluable insights on how to improve their business operations.”

The only independent business to receive this funding in the county, Lewis says of the company’s ambitions: “Throughout the rest of 2022, Really Pro can help improve the prospects of anyone wanting to develop their skills be they unemployed, in employment or running a business. THRIVE is an incredibly flexible and accessible programme, designed specifically for the benefit of individuals and businesses in Pembrokeshire to gain the support and training they need. This includes everything from Covid Resilience, Sustainability, Cost Benefit Analysis and Time-Management to key learnings in the most up-to-date and relevant developments in Marketing and Sales skills.”

THRIVE kicked off in earnest in May with a motto of ‘Achieve Together’. A top team of advisers and support workers are on hand right now to help deliver diagnostic reviews to evaluate the key needs of businesses and individuals to then progress them on to an implementation stage of support required.

Kelly Monroe, Centre Standards & Relationship Manager for Really Pro, is excited about the potential of the THRIVE project: “We’re passionate about collaborative working and learning through shared experience. THRIVE is built on the three fundamentals of ‘Grow / Change / Explore’ and here at Really Pro we want to help as many people and businesses in 2022 as we can to benefit from the opportunities that THRIVE presents. We have some very exciting news to come on the partnerships that we are building here at Really Pro with other organisations and businesses to ensure we realise the full potential and reach for THRIVE across the whole county. We encourage people to sign up now!”.

To register your interest and to find out more about how you can get involved with the THRIVE project, please call: 08448707568 or email: community@reallypro.co.uk

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This project is part-funded by the UK Government through the UK Community Renewal Fund. The UK Community Renewal Fund is a UK Government programme for 2021/22. This aims to support people and communities most in need across the UK to pilot programmes and new approaches to prepare for the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. It invests in skills, community and place, local business, and supporting people into employment. For more information, visit: UK Community Renewal Fund: prospectus – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Seeing people achieve and gain confidence is a thrill for many but at Really Pro we are genuinely over the moon to have successfully achieved all outcomes under the
WCVA – Active Inclusion funded project we have been running called: Bounce Back, Realise Your Potential – supported by the European Social Fund, investing in Wales.

The Bounce Back project offers a range of support, skills and employment focused interventions designed to help individuals over the age of 25 who are economically inactive or long term unemployed to re-enter the employment market or to help them gain confidence to move towards healthier choices.

Working with over 110 participants to date Amy Banks – Support Worker said;
“We receive so many referrals of people on ESA and JSA and those who are not claiming any benefits and no situation is ever the same, so care and a good listening ear is required with a few tissues to hand as well.

It’s not easy feeling at a lose end when you well and with a good support network so imagine what it’s like having no job or poor health to contend with and having no support network? It’s tough, but many of the people we help on the project have those really hard circumstances to contend with. It’s not about pity it’s about being helpful and giving people dignity in a practical manner – we can’t always understand if we haven’t been in a particular situation but we can always show kindness and compassion. Our 1-2-1 support interventions have an effect and sometimes give people a listening ear or sounding board that can’t always be found in traditional projects and it’s this approach that makes us quite different.”

Results are always a part of a good project and Bounce Back has delivered results to date with over 10 people entering employment and being supported into self employment and over 93 people achieving a Level 1+2 accredited qualification via training sessions in 1-2-1, group and home based sessions.

Ron* a participant on the project is one of the projects success stories. After being released from prison and being on ESA Ron* felt lost as to what job he could pursue but after time with Amy and Kelly on the project team Ron* has now signed off his benefits and has registered for his UTR number and has a business plan he is putting into action for his fledgling enterprise. Commenting on his support he said;

“After being in prison I was at a cross roads, people aren’t forgiving or impartial which makes it hard to move on. When I was introduced by my Work Coach to the Bounce Back project I must say I was reticent and thought here we go again, but I was wrong! Amy, Kelly and Lisa were a breath of fresh air, they didn’t judge, weren’t interested in the past, they just concentrated on the future. I now have set up my business with their constant support and are off benefits. I would never have done this without them and can’t thank them enough. They really do care and their project name is exactly right – Bounce Back.”

Kelly Monroe – Project Manager for Bounce Back commented on why ESF Funding can make a difference; “In the past few months there has been talk about ESF funds and their value post Brexit. Whilst I have no political comments on this, our project has seen by working on the coal face the value that can be derived from such funds. Indeed as the government ponders where they invest their future funds, it may seem appealing to pour money into projects that build bridges and infrastructure – yet the very thing that keeps us as a nation together is our people and it social fabric.

Our ESF Funded project has seen over 10% of our participants re-enter employment, that will ultimately save the tax payer approximately over £100k in core budget funds which calculates at approx £10k per person in benefits which is a low aggregate. So the value in delivering such projects is evident by such savings. But as we all know it’s not just benefit funds it’s all the other supporting funds that can be saved by supporting people into sustainable employment, as well as the health and social benefits that come from moving people towards healthier choices. Bounce Back and the project team aims to continue our work with our community stakeholders and participants to see results no matter whether we have funding or not.

We just hope that in the future investments are made by the powers that be into projects like ours and others who want to make a difference and see people succeed, with bridges being built as well!”

If you would like to talk to us about the Bounce Back project or have a referral for us please contact our team on: bounceback@reallypro.co.uk or call: 0844 870 7568.