On Friday 4th October, Futures Advice, Skills and Employment were happy to welcome Labour MP for Nottingham South Lilian Greenwood to their Nottingham centre, to experience first-hand the impact their services have on the individuals accessing them and the wider community.
Being jointly owned by Nottingham City and Nottinghamshire County Councils means that many elements of Futures’ provision is accessible to residents of the Nottingham South constituency, which covers the Bilborough, Clifton East, Clifton West, Lenton & Wollaton East, the Meadows, Radford, and Wollaton West wards of the City.
During a guided tour of the newly refurbished centre on Maid Marian Way, the government minister was given the opportunity to sit down and talk with several benefactors of Futures’ provision, including a member of staff who was recruited after completing a fully funded training course with Futures, and a young man who first received support in 2015 when applying for colleges, and has continued to access life-changing support and guidance in the years since.
Futures were also able to share their vision for organisation’s next steps, including how they can play a role in the new government’s “Back-to-Work Plan” and the expansion and broadening of the community partnerships built through their Transform Your Future programme, currently funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. Transform your Future offers personalised support to help participants with significant and often complex barriers to employment to improve their skills, confidence, employability, and wellbeing.
As a publicly owned, not-for-profit social enterprise, Futures is dedicated to the welfare of its local community, and has been providing specialist support in careers guidance, training and employment services for over 28 years.
Jennie Willock, Chief Executive, highlighted how Futures ability to blend nationally commissioned programmes with localised initiatives such as the UK Shared Prosperity Fund enables the organisation to a create a customised pathway for each customer, setting them up with the right skills and tools for life and work.
We were delighted to host Lilian and showcase the vital services we provide to her residents, introducing her to our staff and customers. As a longstanding Nottingham MP and supporter of our work, we’re really pleased that Lilian continues to show a keen interest in Futures and is a fantastic advocate for the organisation and the local people we serve.
