A Chance 2 Work

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A Chance 2 Work

• at
• Brent Homeless User Group

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Who are B.HUG?

• A user-led organisation that aims to empower
  homeless people to help themselves and to have a
  voice that is being heard and being listened to.
• Aim to prevent and raise awareness of
  homelessness by providing information and support.

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Three key strands of work

• Community Insight
• Tailored research, training and consultancy into
  homelessness and social inclusion.
• User Involvement
• Supports and trains service users to influence
  design of policies and delivery of services from
  frontline providers to policy makers in
  government.
• A Chance 2 Work
• Pre employment and training support for people
  who are homeless

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Who do we work with?

• 16 65 years old
• Unemployed
• Eligible to work in the UK
• Single Homeless
• Rough sleeping
• Hostel living
• Supported housing
• Temporary accommodation
• Sofa surfing

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What can A Chance 2 Work help with?

• Individual support and advice sessions
• Develop individual learning and action plans
• Volunteer placements
• Work placements
• CV and application forms
• Motivation and confidence building
• Interview techniques
• Free internet and phone line
• Online job searching
• Peer support
• Encouraging and supportive workers
• Relaxed and motivating environment
• In house training programme

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Other activities and support

• In-house training programme including
• Basic skills
• Applying for work with a criminal record
• Money management
• Accredited child care
• Locator bidding training
• Library
• Monthly book club
• On-going support for clients in employment
• Opportunity for clients to become B.HUG members
  and influence policy
• We are not a housing support service. Although we
  can support with referrals, we can not directly
  help clients with their housing needs.

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Employer engagement

• Green-works
• Long and short term voluntary placements in
  warehouse/joinery/admin/photography
• B.HUG clients have access to increasing job
  opportunities through Future Jobs funding
• 5 volunteers and 1 client placed into sustained
  employment to date
• Vincent House
• Offer supported and in-house working positions in
  housekeeping when available
• 1 client placed into sustained employment
• Cosmur construction
• Monthly motivational workshops at B.HUG delivered
  by COSMUR CEO
• 2 clients/month attend 1 month voluntary work
  placements in all areas of construction.
• Continued pre-employment support from experienced
  people who work in the industry

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Partnership

• Skills for Jobs consortium
• CRISIS, B.HUG, St Mungos, Salvation Army,
  Connections STM
• LSC funded pre-employment partnership programme
• Access to free training and job opportunities
  throughout partner organisations for all B.HUG
  clients
• Award-winning Third Sector Alliance for
  Partnership
• BACES
• Free accredited training for all B.HUG clients
• Free training in-house at B.HUG
• Over 50 clients have benefitted from training at
  BACES in 2009

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Statistics

• November 2008 November 2009
• Engaged with over 250 clients
• Trained over 150 homeless people
• Supported 20 people into employment

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Who have we supported?
Aaron Giles Trainee joiner at Greenworks I
found BHUG were very helpful when they introduced
me to Green-Works, without this connection I
wouldnt have obtained employment as soon as I
did. And for this I remain entirely grateful.
George Greenlow-Williams BIT Training (I.T.
Support training) Without A Chance 2 Work Id
be useless. Whenever I need them, the staff at
B.HUG are here for me...now I can actually see
whats ahead.
Stephen Mullings B.HUG volunteer The advisers
at B.HUG helped me to focus and develop a sense
of purpose which boosted my confidence and
motivation as well as helping my recovery.
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Awards won by A Chance 2 Work!
Brent Q Award
Brent Q Award 2008 for the best Employability and
Training service as voted for by service users
Best Third Sector Partnership, Skills for Jobs
consortium
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Contact

Opening Hours 930 1730 Monday Thursday
Advisers Jo, Dwayne and Christina
Address B.HUG, 16a St Thomas Road, Harlesden
NW10 4AJ

• Phone/Email
• 020 8965 2561
• Johanna_at_brenthomeless.com Dwayne_at_brenthomeless.com
  

Clients can DROP-IN during opening hours to
register, seek advice and support or to use
facilities.