800
Individuals Across Liverpool City Region Will Be Supported To Manage Money And
Access Employment Through New Project; Better Off Finance
A Liverpool City Region wide programme which will offer support around
money management and accessing employment opportunities launched on Thursday 26th January in Halton.
Better Off Finance is a £2.4 million innovative project funded by
Building Better Opportunities via the European Social Fund and Big Lottery. Its
aim is to connect with more than 800 residents from across the local authority
areas of Halton, Knowsley, St Helens, Liverpool, Sefton and Wirral. The project
will provide support to people who are facing challenges moving towards or
accessing employment opportunities, and those who, due to a lack of financial
capabilities, face resulting barriers that can make it more difficult when
trying to find and keep a job.
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| (From L-R) – Maggie O’Carroll; Chief Executive Officer of The Women’s Organisation, Hitesh Patel; Chief Officer of Citizens Advice Halton, Caryn Matthews; Chief Officer of Citizens Advice South Liverpool, Councillor Rob Polhill; Leader of the Halton Borough Council and David Parkinson; Policy and Learning Manager of Big Lottery Fund) |
The project will offer support to individuals to improve the ability to
manage their money better and gain skills to cope with changes in
circumstances. Better Off Finance will also help residents across Liverpool
City Region prepare and progress into sustainable employment as well as training
and education opportunities.
At the Select Security Stadium Halton over 80 individuals from support
services across Liverpool City Region heard about the project from Chief
Executive Officer of The Women’s Organisation; Maggie O’Carroll and Caryn Matthews,
Chief Officer of Citizens Advice South Liverpool, before it was formally
launched by Councillor Rob Polhill, Leader of Halton Borough Council. The
project is a collaborative effort and will be carried out by 11 different
support agencies across the Liverpool City Region with The Women’s Organisation
acting as the accountable body.
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| Hitesh Patel; Chief Officer of Citizens Advice Halton and Shelah Semoff; Partnership Officer from Halton Borough Council |
Councillor Rob Polhill said of the Better Off Finance project: ‘I am very pleased that partners from across
the Liverpool City Region have developed this innovative support package to
help people improve their financial capabilities so that they can find and keep
a job. I, and my colleagues on the
Combined authority appreciate the efforts of all those involved in its
visioning and development and we are sure that it will make a huge difference
to so many people lives and also create and effective model of support.’
Maggie O’Carroll of The Women’s Organisation said about the project
launch; ‘We believe that the Better Off
Finance project is a new and innovative way of working towards helping people
find employment and stay in employment. Looking at financial capabilities
hasn’t been addressed previously and building an individual’s skills in this
area is crucial to that.
We are delighted to be working
with the partners on this project and are pleased that the Big Lottery fund and
European Social Fund recognise that this is an important area that can be
addressed for Liverpool City Region.’
Better Off Finance will carry out this crucial work over 2 years and
will engage and connect with over 800 residents from across Liverpool City
Region and help them, to progress into work.
