Monica Kimche Director

Leicestershire CaresCharnwood Together10th February 2010

Leicestershire Cares

Leicestershire Cares

• Membership organisation of key local employers who want to make a difference in the community through employee volunteering.

• Programmes in Education, Community Development, working with the homeless, care leavers and offenders.

Education

•Right to Read

•Go for Reading

•Number Partners

•Interview Technique

Right to Read

• Weekly 1:1 reading support for primary school children

• Helps children improve their reading skills, self-esteem and confidence

• In 13 schools locally

Go for Reading

• 1 in 5 children leave primary school unable to read and write properly.

• Weekly 1:1 support for 11-12 year olds who are struggling with their reading.

• Operating in Limehurst with GL volunteers

Number Partners

• Weekly 1:2 numeracy support for primary school children

• Operating in 12 schools through a partnership with Loughborough University Students Action who provide 40 volunteers.

Interview Technique

• Mock interview and feedback sessions for 14-16 year olds in designated schools

• Burleigh Community College

• 24th & 25th February, volunteers needed to interview 320 Year 11 pupils

Community Development

Team Challenges offer practical help:• Painting & decorating

• Creating garden/outdoor areas

• Organising events

Collect 4 Christmas 2009• Supported FareShare with practical gifts

ProHelp

Leicestershire ProHelp is a network of professional firms offering free professional advice and strategic support for one-off projects for the voluntary and community sector.

Community Development

• Team challenges have taken place at:• Glebe House • Mountfield Lodge• Outwoods

• ProHelp:• architectural support for Ashby Rd Estates

Community Association

Community Safety Project

• Purpose:

• Working in partnership with Probation to give:• offenders a second chance in life• an opportunity to demonstrate their skills &

aptitude in the work place• an understanding of current working practices• to change employers’ attitudes to offenders

A variety of placements

• Office Depot• Colton Packaging• Leicestershire CC• Leicester City Council• Aggregate Industries

• Astra Zeneca• Brush Electrical

Machines

• Twycross Zoo • University of

Leicester Library

• SGP contact centre • Samworth Foods

• BSS/PTS

Results

• Real change in attitude by employers

• From March 2006 to December 2010:• 193 benefited from a work placement of

whom 67 obtained work • 4 have re-offended (compared to 67%

within 2 years of leaving prison)

It really works!

• Quotes from mentees:

• “ I feel like I have my life back ”

• “ The most useful part of my placement to me was the trust that I was given by the team”

Homelessness Project

• 2 week mentored work placement for those who are ready

• Aim to provide route into employment or re-employment, breaking ‘no home, no job’ syndrome

Flying Fish

• A project to help Looked After Children reach their full potential

• Helping Looked After Children into education, training or employment

• mentored work placements

• 80% going into education, employment or training

Funding

• Awaiting funding decisions re:• Education• Flying Fish• No funding for Community Development• Homelessness

• contact: monica@leicestershirecares.co.uk