Event: Coastal Co.nnect

Join us for a relaxed morning of networking 0930 – 1130 in Great Yarmouth. We will be there along with Great Yarmouth Borough Council as well as having an expert speaker with us to help build your business toolkit by imparting their knowledge and answering your questions. 

This is a super informal networking morning, you’ll have free networking time when you arrive followed by a quick round-table introduction so you can get to know your fellow business people in the room and understand what it is they do. After this our expert will “take the stage” to present on their area of expertise, when they’ve answered everyone’s questions the networking commences again. 

For November’s Coastal Co.nnect we will have Vicky Day from Gateway to Employment with us. Gateway to Employment (GtoE) is a joint campaign between the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Norfolk and the Department for Work and Pensions, which aims to break down barriers to employment for people with convictions.

Their aim was to get 100 organisations to pledge to offer a new opportunity to someone with convictions, leading to meaningful long term employment.  This target was exceeded within one year of launching the campaign. Progress to date

• Creation of Project Board
• Ensured project board is supported by appropriate legal/HR expertise
• Worked with local media on promotion campaigns
• Held numerous employer events including, NARRO (Norfolk Alliance for Rehabilitation and Resettlement of Offenders),  Workshop with Broadland District Council and HMP Norwich and HMP Wayland employer events
• Creation of website
• Developed data capture process with DWP
• Developed E Newsletter and comprehensive distribution list
• Champion “No-Offence” campaign

Pledges fulfilled from 1st January 2016 to 31st December 2018:

• Work Experience 11
• Sector Based Work Academy 6
• Mock Interviews 256
• Apprenticeship 1
• Job starts 37
• Job Offer 49
• Bursary/Grant 110
• Provision 44
• Training 2

Good news

A dream has come true for a Norfolk apprentice who has turned her life around thanks to a scheme launched by the county’s Police and Crime Commissioner and the Department for Work and Pensions. Alex Burzec, a Support Coordinator at Home Group, found employment through the Gateway to Employment (GtoE) scheme which gives ex-offenders a second chance. Having already been crowned ‘Regional Rising Star’ at the Eastern Region National Apprentice Awards, Alex was hoping to reach for the stars by netting the national title. In December 2018 Alex’s “ultimate dream” came true after she was presented with a highly commended National Rising Star Award at the National Apprenticeship Awards. “Achieving the ‘Rising Star’ Apprentice Award in the East Region was a huge surprise and I felt truly overwhelmed by this,” said Alex.

All are welcome so feel free to pop along to find out what it’s all about, grab a cuppa and get chatting!