step up project newsletter autumn 2011

8/4/2019 Step Up Project Newsletter Autumn 2011

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Step Up Project Newsletter

Jody a young mum living on the Rhydwen Drive estate first came onto the bus toenquire about getting a part time job whilst continuing with her studies at BangorUniversity. Jody told us although she had gained qualifications she was struggling toget a job because she had no work experience [paid or unpaid].

Debbie Holmes Project Manager for the bus agreed to find some volunteer work forJody so that if any employment was available locally Jody would have not only theknowledge but the practical experience of working with children something localemployers value. The Step Up Project matched up Jody to Rhyl AdventurePlayground where Jody now volunteers on a regular basis, gaining the practicalexperience she desperately wanted.

Jody said of the service she had on the bus: For the first time, someone sat and listened and was positive. I was ableto walk away with information that gave me confidence to be positive about the next steps of my career. Not only haveI gained valuable experience at RAPA I have gained new friends in the community I have lived in for 3 years. The buswith its friendly informal atmosphere gave me hope for the future and if I gain nothing else I have gained friends.

Will Morecombe, manager of Rhyl Adventure Playground added: Jody has been in a word, superb. From the verybeginning she got stuck straight in and in all honesty any outsider observing sessions at the Playground when Jody is

here would be hard-pressed to say who the volunteer is and who the paid members of staff are

A service delivered by South West Rhyl Communities First

Autumn 2011

Good News Stories

South West Rhyl Communities First have presented Careers Wales with thePartner Organisation of the Year award for supporting The Step Up Project byconsistently having a physical presence on the bus; using their expertise to helplocal individuals/residents into education or into employment, thereby improvingpeoples aspirations and economic circumstances.

Gavin Roberts from Careers Wales said: We at Careers Wales are delighted to beawarded this honour and we encourage partnership working as this has proven tobe of great benefit to clients.

Jody brings her skills to benefit local community

Partnership Works!

Shirley a resident of Rhydwen Drive, Rhyl, came onto the bus initially looking to do an Open University degree. Whilston the bus we mentioned to her that there was a support group in the area where she could get some volunteeringexperience.

Shirley went onto volunteer with Cais and completed some peer mentoring training. She then had the chance to applyfor an Intermediate Labour Market scheme for Nacro and this recently led to employment with Cais Conwy for Shirley.

Shirley said: Because the Step Up Project was a service I could access on my doorstep it was so easy to get theadvice and information I needed to get back into work.

Shirley steps up and into a job


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A free flexible mobile outreach project provided in SouthWest/West Rhyl that aims to bring together a package of advice,information & support for all residents.

As a detached outreach service it offers and markets a wide rangeof services in one particular location.

Service, advice & information available on the bus includes:-

Advice on going into work

Advice on local training providers if you need to boost your

skills Money & Debt management

Advice on health issues

Fuel efficiency in the home

Fire safety in the home

Help setting up your own business

This list is not exhaustive.

The bus has a confidential area for people using the service

If you see us in your area hop on board for a cuppa and to takeadvantage of the service we are offering.

What is the Step Up Project?

Project Funding

The project has been funded from a number of sources including:

Welsh Government Communities First Outcomes

Welsh Government Community Cohesion

Strategic Regeneration Area

Rhyl Town Council

The Co-operative Group

The project is also match funded in kind by many of our partners who give their time, expertise & skills.


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Areas that we cover

The Step Up Project information bus travels to several different locations in

South West Rhyl and West Rhyl to provide residents with advice and information

relating to any issues they may have.

Below is a list of the locations that the Step Up Project Bus currently visits.

Rhydwen Drive/Gwynfryn Avenue, Rhyl

Times: 11am - 3.30pm

October 8th & 20th

November 15th & 17th

December 8th

Aled Avenue car park, Rhyl

Times 11am 3.30pm

October 4th & 6th

November 1st & 3rd

December 6th

Chatsworth Road, Rhyl

Times 11am 3.30pm

September 27th & 29th

October 25th & 27th

November 22nd

& 24th

December 15th

Botanical Gardens, Rhyl

Times 11am 3.30pm

October 13th

November 10th

Rhyl Town Hall

Times 11am 3pm

October 10th

November 7th

Reaching Out - Stepping Up

The project is now being piloted in other areas of Rhyl afterrequests from councillors and residents. It was identified thatthe need for the bus may have an impact on supportingresidents in Bruton Park & West Rhyl.

Bruton Park, Rhyl

Times 10am 3.00pm

October 24th


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Partner Agencies

Careers Wales provides free, bilingual, impartial careers information, adviceand guidance for all ages. They can help you search for courses, training andjob vacancies anywhere in Wales. You can access this support in the followingways:

Visit the website at: www.careerswales.com/skills

Call the Learning and Careers Advice Helpline on 0800 100 900.

Make an appointment to see a Careers Advisor near you who can help you toassess your skills and explore your options.

Coleg Llandrillo Cymru has developed a national reputation for excellence,with some of the best recourses of any educational establishment in Wales.The College has courses to offer you from the age of fourteen onwards,enabling you to acquire vocational and academic qualifications, train whilst atwork or retrain for a new career. Wherever you choose to study, you will haveaccess to a wide range of facilities and outstanding support services

For more information contact Coleg Llandrillo Cymru on 01492 542 338.

Train 2 Change (Wales) are a new training company with a vast experience ofworking with non-traditional learners. They are based in Cefndy EmploymentPark in South West Rhyl, and courses they offer initially, include: Motor VehicleEngineering, Car Valeting, Horticulture, Painting and Decorating and BeautyTherapy.

Training will be offered through 50 week, roll-on-roll-off access to accreditedtraining programmes so, no waiting to start the course of your choice.

For more information please contact Dave Evans on 07931 629749.

Or visit the website www.traintochangewales.org.uk

Their aim is to be the first choice for homes and services in Wales, providing

good quality accommodation and supporting communities to meet local needs,as well as aiming to be an excellent landlord. They manage over 9,000properties, with over 24,000 residents throughout Wales.

For more information contact WWHA on 0800 052 2526.

Or visit the website at www.wwha.net

The focus ofRhyl City Strategy is to reduce levels of unemployment within thethree most disadvantaged wards in Rhyl (West, South and East), in order tobenefit Rhyl as a whole.

The Cities Strategy programme is based on the idea that local partners candeliver more if they combine and align their efforts behind shared priorities, andare given more freedom to try out new ideas and to tailor services in responseto local need.

For more information please contact Rhyl City Strategy on 01745 343605.

We work in partnership with the following local agencies:


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We would like to give our thanks to all our partners, without whom the projectwould not have been possible.

Partner Agencies

Want 2 Work offers all kinds of help to people who want new skills, training,advice, support and work. W2W advisors can help you to find something thatwill make a real difference to how you feel and what you can do. Such as:

Learning a new skill.

Finding employment.

Financial help for training, employment or self employment.

Gaining confidence and motivation.

For more information contact Want 2 Work on 0800 328 6370

North Wales Fire and Rescue Service helps to protect a population of around670,000 people over an area of 2,400 square miles as well as hundreds ofthousands of tourists and visitors who come to North Wales every year.

North Wales Fire and Rescue Service is offering you a FREE smoke alarm andinstallation service. The fire safety check visit takes about 20 minutes and willbe arranged at your convenience.

To request your free home fire safety check please call 0800 169 1234.

Or fill in an online enquiry form at http://www.freesmokealarm.co.uk

G2G Communities is a Community Interest Company (CIC) focused on gettingthose individuals furthest away from the job market back into employment orstarting their own business. They support a wide range of individuals including:unemployed people over the age of 55; those not in education, employment ortraining; single parents; carers; people with disabilities and other disadvantagedor minority groups.

If you would like to get in touch and find out more about what G2G

Communities CIC can offer you or your business, please call 01745 334428.

Or visit their website : www.g2gcommunities.org

SOVA is a leading national volunteer mentoring organisation in England andWales working with:

Clients in and leaving the care system.

The Criminal Justice sector.

Young people on youth offending orders.

The socially and economically disadvantaged and long-term unemployedrefugees and asylum seekers.

For more information regarding SOVA please visit their website: sova.org.uk


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Useful Links

The following is a list of links to information and services you may find helpful.

Denbighshire County Councils Welfare Rights Services help you find information, advice or helpabout:

Social security benefits, pensions and tax credits.

Housing rights.

Employment rights.

Personal debt.

Saving energy.

Contacting relevant community services such as home help.

They support these advice services by funding: Our Welfare Rights Unit.

Rhyl Benefits Advice Shop.

Denbighshire Citizens Advice Bureau.

Their aims and principles are to deliver a service that is:

Confidential your details stay within the Welfare Rights Unit unless you give us permission toshare them with others.

Fair all our customers can expect the same high standard of service.

Not judging you we dont judge people, we just focus on the job.

Accurate we give you accurate, honest advice. Free our service will not cost you anything to use.

Welfare Rights HelplinePhone: 0800 169 6625

E-mail: [email protected]

Shelter for Housing AdvicePhone: 0808 800 4444

Age Concern North Wales CentralPhone: 01745 816947

Contact details for information, help and advice about your welfare rights:

Disability Resource CentrePhone: 01745 534525

Denbighshire Citizens Advice BureauRhyl: 01745 334568Denbigh: 01745 814 336

Ruthin: 01824 703 483

Llangollen: 01978 860 983

[Source: www.denbighshire.gov.uk. 2011]


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Useful Links

Age UK have produced some useful fact-sheets, that are available fromtheir website. They can provided you with information, such as:

Avoiding scams.

Home safety checker.

Advice for carers.

To view these and many more helpful fact-sheets, please visit the website:

http://www.ageuk.org.uk/publications/age-uk-information-guides-and-

factsheets/

Careers Wales have created a database of courses availableWales. Everything from a course in Dressmaking to a Masters inAstronomy! There are over 30,000 learning opportunities on thedatabase to choose from, offered by schools, colleges, universities,community education and private companies.

To find the right course for you, please visit the website:http://www2.careerswales.com/lcd/

The following is a list of links to information and services you may find helpful.

The Home Heat Helpline is a free, central phone number offering practicaladvice for people concerned about paying their energy bills. It is open from9am to 8pm Monday to Friday and 10am to 2pm on Saturdays.

It is staffed by experts who can give advice on grants and how to savemoney on your heating bills by making your home more energy efficient.

The first step is to call the Home Heat Helpline for free on 0800 33 66 99.

If you are unable to access the internet, you can text or phone us to find out where in

your local community you can go to have free access to the internet .

01745 332528 07545210817

National Debtline is a national telephone helpline for people with debt problems inEngland, Wales and Scotland. Our service is free, confidential and independent.

They are committed to answering your call and then discussing your debt problemswith you and the options available to you. If your circumstances meet certain criteria,they can, if you are interested, assist in setting up a Debt Management Plan orDebt

Relief Orderfor you, for free.

Contact National Debtline by calling their Freephone number: 0808 808 4000.

Or by visiting their Website: www.nationaldebtline.co.uk


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Useful Links

A mid-day meal will be provided, at a fixed price, in all Primary and Special Schools. A choice of courses isprovided wherever possible. A mid-day meal will be provided in all Secondary Schools, on a cafeteriabasis, with an individual pricing system.

Free School Meals can only be provided for pupils attending Denbighshire schools, whoseparents/guardians receive either:

Income Support.

Income based Job Seekers Allowance.

Income Related Employment & Support Allowance.

Guaranteed Credit.

Child Tax Credit (but not Working Tax Credit) with an annual income below 16,190.

To apply for Free School Meals you will need to complete an application form. Details about the procedurefor claiming free school meals are readily available from head-teachers or you can complete the

application form online at www.denbighshire.gov.uk/en-gb/DNAP-72NDTB.

Or for more information regarding free school meals please call 01824 712777.

Your child could be entitled to FREE school meals

[Source: www.denbighshire.gov.uk. 2011]

Welfare benefits

Pensions

Housing Tax Credits

Council Tax

Disability Benefit

Appeal Representation

Benefit Advice Shop is based in Rhyl and offerFREE confidential adviceand support, Monday - Friday, For any problems with:

Dont hesitate, contact them first on 01745 345145

Are you one of many that does their CV on a computer or laptop orsave it to USB to find that when you want it for a new job or to apply fora job that you can't access it? For instance the PC you saved it to nolonger works or needs repairing. Perhaps you save it to a USB dongleand have lost the dongle.

Careers Wales online CV builder can help. You build your CV and it canbe saved in your own personal profile. It can be updated for new jobsand you can access it anywhere in the world! You will need to registeronline with Careers Wales and develop your CV online. This simple web based area means you'll neverlose that all important document again!

To start building your CV go to Careers Wales CV Builder - www.careerswales.com/adults

Always hunting for your CV? Forget which USB or PC you did your last CV on?


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Switching energy suppliers when you owe money

The rules on switching to another energy supplier when you owe money to your current supplier aredifferent depending on whether or not you have a prepayment meter.

If you have a prepayment meter You can switch energy suppliers and transfer debts up to 200.

You will have to carry on using the prepayment meter with your new supplier at least until yourdebt is paid off. However, you will be able to shop around for a cheaper tariff.

If you are not on a prepayment meter

If you owe money to an energy supplier, they can stop you from switching to another supplier until

your debt is paid off. This is known as being debt-blocked.

If it is your energy suppliers fault that you are in debt, maybe because they read your meterwrongly, they cannot stop you from switching to another supplier. You will still have to pay backthe debt.

How to pay off a debt

You can either pay off a debt in one payment or agree to an affordable payment plan. If your energysupplier has blocked your request to switch to another supplier, they must give you advice on:

Energy efficiency.

Managing debt.

The best tariff for you.

If your energy supplier raises their prices

Your energy supplier cannot apply the increased price for energy use if you pay any debt off within 30days and then switch to another energy supplier.

Useful Links

If you have an outstanding debt to your energy supplier and you tryand switch to a different supplier you may find yourselfdebt blocked.This means that your current gas or electricity supplier has the right toprevent you from leaving until you have paid off your debt to them.This may either mean making a payment in full or agreeing a regularrepayment plan.

How Consumer Direct can help - 08454 04 05 06

Consumer Direct is a free independent advice service and they can:

Tell you what your rights are.

Give you independent advice.

Give you information about free services from energy suppliers.

How Consumer Focus can help - www.consumerfocus.org.uk

Energy suppliers' details are on the Consumer Focus website.

If you are unable to access the internet, you can text or phone us to find out where in

your local community you can go to have free access to the internet .

01745 332528 07545210817

[Source: www.consumerfocus.org.uk. 2011]


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Money Advice Service

About Basic Bank Accounts

With a basic bank account you:

Dont get a cheque book

Dont get an overdraft

Can pay in sterling cheques for free

Can take money out at cash machines, and

Can pay bills by Direct Debit or standing order.

The Money Advice Service is to help everyone manage their

money better. They do this by giving clear, unbiased money

advice to help people make informed choices. The Money

Advice Service is a free, independent service. They were set up

by government and are funded by a levy on the financial

services industry. Because they are not selling anything

themselves, or for anyone else.

What proof you will need to open a basic bank account

Banks and building societies have to identify their new customers, this is to stop criminal activities likemoney laundering. They will explain which documents they will accept as proof of your identity,although this may vary from one bank or building society to another.

They may ask you for a government issued document:

With a photographsuch as a valid passport, or

Without a photograph such as a valid old-style driving licenceplus another document from anapproved source.

If you don't have these documents, they may accept other documents such as:

A letter from a government department or local council confirming your right to benefits.

Suitable information of identity from a young persons workplace or educational institution, or

A letter from a care-home manager or warden of sheltered accommodation or a refuge.

On the Money Advice Service website you can find:

a budget plannerto help you work out if you have enough money coming in to cover your bills.

comparison tables to help you compare products like savings accounts and mortgages.

a new online tool to help you build up some good financial habits and reach your goals.

To access these services please go to www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk/tools.

Or for advice based on your own circumstances please call:

Money Advice Line - 0300 500 5000

Typetalk - 1800 1 0300 500 5000

Calls should cost no more than 01 or 02 UK-wide calls, and are included in inclusive mobile andlandline minutes. To help them maintain and improve their service, they may record or monitor calls.

[Source: www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk. 2011]


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Jobcentre Plus Job Grant

Job Grant is a work related payment you may get when you or your partner move directly from benefitinto work. Find out if you qualify for a Job Grant, how much it is and how to claim it.

Who can get it?You may be able to get a Job Grant if you are moving directly from benefit into work of at least 16 hoursa week. This could be starting a new job, increasing the hours you work in an existing job or having acombination of jobs. The work must be expected to last for at least five weeks, and you must notifyJobcentre Plus within 21 days of starting work.

You must also have been claiming one or a combination of the following benefits for at least 26 weeksimmediately before moving into work:

Jobseeker's Allowance.

Income Support.

Employment and Support Allowance.

Incapacity Benefit.

Severe Disablement Allowance.

Jobcentre Plus/New Deal Allowance payments where the allowance is based on Jobseeker'sAllowance, Income Support, Employment Support Allowance, Incapacity Benefit or SevereDisablement Allowance.

Employment Zone payments where the allowance is based on Jobseeker's Allowance.

Any period where you are not entitled to a payment of benefit does not count towards the 26 weekqualifying period.

How to claim Job GrantYou will automatically get Job Grant so long as you qualify. You need to make sure you tell JobcentrePlus that you're starting work and you must do this within 21 days of starting work. You will be paid inthe same way as you were paid benefits.

For more information please contact Jobcentre Plus:

Rhyl Jobcentre PlusTelephone: 0845 604 3719

Wrexham Jobcentre Plus

Telephone: 0845 600 3016

[Source: www.direct.gov.uk. 2011]

Are you moving from benefits into work?

You could be entitled to a 250 Job Grant

You will not get a Job Grant if:

You have been signing as unemployed to receive your National Insurance contributions only.

You have been sending in medical evidence to receive your National Insurance contributionsonly.

How much it is?The amount of Job Grant you get will depend on your circumstances. You can get one of the followingamounts:

100 for single people and couples without children. 250 for lone parents and couples with children.


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Official Bus Launch: From left to right; Duncan Rees - Co-operative Group, Debbie Holmes - Project Manager, Ann Jones - AMfor Vale of Clwyd, Chris Ruane - MP for Vale of Clwyd, Les Cooper -Wales & West, Jenny Walker - Rhyl City Strategy, NoreenStephenson - Chair of SWRCF Partnership Board.

Contact Us

South West Rhyl Communities First

82 Marsh Road

Rhyl

Denbighshire

LL18 2AE

01745 332528

01745 360547

[email protected]

If you have any issues within your local community that you wish to discuss, feel free to

contact us and we will provide you with all the help you may need.We also have a couple of online blogs where we keep the residents of South West Rhyl

updated on any activities, training and job opportunities within the local area.

Visit our blog to find to search for the latest up to date job vacancies and training

opportunities.

stepupprojectinformationbus.blogpot.com

For more information about South West Rhyl Communities First or other Communities

First areas, please visit the website.www.swrcf.org.uk

southwestrhylcommunitiesfirst.blogspot.com

facebook.com/step_up_project

Whats different about us?

Mobile/Detached

Doorstep service for residents

Individualised Support

Based on community need

Agencies in one location

Its FREE

No appointment necessary

What clients have said about the service

The information and advice provided was extremelyhelpful. Colin - Aled Avenue.

The bus pointed me in the right direction, Im now

working after 20 years of being on benefits.JM - Rhyl.

It was very easy to access because it was on mydoorstep. Shirley - Rhyl.

Very helpful people who pointed me in the rightdirection. Annette - Rhyl.

Highlights since March 1st 2011

250+ beneficiaries/visitors.

37% referred on for specialist advice.

Local people helped into work or training.

Facts & Figures

step up project newsletter autumn 2011

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