New opportunities for young people in Wrexham and Flintshire thanks to the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

New employability and confidence building opportunities for young people in Wrexham and Flintshire, thanks to funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

WeMindTheGap, is expanding two of its programmes to support young people with employability and confidence building skills in Wrexham and Flintshire thanks to funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

The programmes, called WeGrow and WeDiscover, are part of WeMindTheGap’s work to transform the lives of young people, raise aspiration and improve their wellbeing and life chances.

They are part funded by the UK government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund in partnership with Wrexham County Borough Council and Flintshire County Council.

WeGrow is a 12-month face to face programme, for young people aged 18-25 years, that offers six months of meaningful work experience (30 hours per week at minimum wage) with Employer Partners including Theatre Clwyd, housing association ClwydAlyn, RedRow and Aura Leisure. This is alongside life coaching and the opportunity to gain qualifications and new skills such as first aid, maths and English, followed by six months of dedicated support.

WeDiscover is a virtual programme, for young people aged 16 to 25 years, providing them with the opportunity to discover more about themselves and the world beyond their front door through a combination of interactive group sessions, dedicated one to one mentoring support and the chance to meet inspirational guest speakers. It aims to help young people to grow in confidence, learn new skills and create a positive plan for the future.

WeGrow Flintshire is now in full flow with 10 young adults enrolled for 2023 and will be open for new applications in May 2024, while the WeGrow Wrexham programme will begin in January 2024. WeDiscover is a rolling programme and is open to anyone in Wrexham, Flintshire and North Wales.

Ali Wheeler, CEO of WeMindTheGap, said: “Our WeGrow and WeDiscover Programmes are really valuable opportunities for young people in Wrexham and Flintshire to gain and develop new skills, improve their confidence and encourage them to think about what they need for a better future.

“From our work with young people across the North Wales and the North West, we know the number of young people who are falling through the gaps and who are feeling increasingly disengaged is growing. These programmes can really make a difference in turning this around through tailored support and I would urge any organisations in Wrexham and Flintshire working with young people who could benefit from taking part to get in touch with us to find out more.”

Clarice, who has taken part in WeDiscover, said: “The WeDiscover programme is lots of fun and a great way to make new friends, especially for people who can find that a challenge. It can really help with confidence, self esteem and loneliness and everyone at WeMindTheGap are great at making people feel welcome. This programme has really helped my mental health and I would 100 per cent recommend it to anyone.”

Another participant of WeDiscover, Jess, added: “I would highly recommend taking part in the WeDiscover progrmame, it will help you to learn new skills, gain confidence and meet likeminded young people. You will also become part of a wonderful, caring community who are always there if you need someone to talk to, during and after the programme finishes.”

Will, who has taken part in WeGrow said: “I would say to any young person thinking about joining a WeMindTheGap programme, to go for it! The WeGrow programme is important as it helps you to grow in every area of your life. I have become more confident, improved my health and wellbeing and find social situations much easier.”

Through this funded opportunity, young people can now join WeDiscover and transition to WeGrow. To find out more about taking part or to arrange a chat with a member of the WeMindTheGap team visit www.wemindthegap.org.uk.

All young people who work with WeMindTheGap have the opportunity for further development and support through WeBelong, the charity’s alumni programme. Young people who have graduated from it’s programmes over the last nine years still keep in touch with WeMindTheGap and with each other and highlight this as a valuable part of its support.

WeMindTheGap is also hosting an online event on Tuesday 14th November, 3pm – 4pm which will include updates on the WeGrow and WeDiscover programmes and will highlight how organisations and individuals can help the charity identify and support young people. This could be anyone from parents or carers to those who can refer young people from services.

To register visit https://WeMindTheGapTrustedReferrer.eventbrite.co.uk

WeMindTheGap is part funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund in partnership with Flintshire County Council and Wrexham County Borough Council.