Existing cross-sector network of women– SMEs, education, local government, health, arts, charities

Unemployed women who were isolated and not able to access wider networks and ‘hidden’ opportunities

Sought to connect them to our network and get to know local employers and organisations

ESF Communities Grant of £12k funded pilot Network to Work project

Thirteen unemployed women wanting to work or become self-employed but isolated through unemployment

Programme included workshops, mentors from our network, workplace visits

Initial evaluation –

Feedback from participants - support and interaction was lifeline – most were despondent and feeling hopeless or frustrated; morale boost, confidence regained

7 got full or part time employment during or shortly after

3 took significant steps towards self-employment

Keen2Cater Cinque Ports Community Kitchen CIC

Saw a need – young parents desperate for work but no confidence or experience

Keen2Cater – 9 weeks for 15 unemployed women and men

Experience roles in hospitality industry; practice and try out skills; work experience in our restaurant and with local employers

Funded with £8.5k ESF grant

Keen2Cater Cinque Ports Community Kitchen CIC

• Both take advantage of an existing asset – a mature network; a restaurant business

• But as new social enterprise organisations no real track record so difficult to access funding

• Both projects are experimental, pilots• Both needed small grants - £8k - £12k; cost-effective,

minimal overheads• Both developed around the needs and aspirations and

with the involvement of the beneficiaries• Both grassroots - we all live and work in the same

community; are able to respond to what we see and hear, develop ideas with participants

Keen2Cater

What have the two projects got in common?

• Benefits to the CICs - both projects build our capacity to design and deliver relevant initiatives;

• Strengthen the original assets for further benefit – Network to Work extended our relationships with employers and organisations; Keen2Cater enabled us to initiate our social impact activities very quickly

• Support from Rural Kent to present coherent proposals and manage the administration and reporting processes;

• Both projects became a stepping stone to possible Lifelong Learning projects

• Both projects leave informal legacies – continued networking and support for beneficiaries

• Would not have happened without ESF funding

Keen2Cater