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Social Impact Report

2017 – 2023

Released in January 2024

Tackling Long – Term Unemployment Amongst Low Socioeconomic Groups UK

By Charlene Jeanette Maines Founder – Choices For You

Tackling Long–Term Unemployment Amongst Low Socioeconomic Groups UK

Executive Summary

The aim of this Social Impact Report is to describe the setting up of the Choices For You Charity, the journey of its founder – Charlene Maines, the progress made during the startup stage, the activities undertaken, and the impact that these have had in assisting people from a low socio-economic background to realise their potential.

Our charitable objects are to assist -

THE RELIEF OF UNEMPLOYMENT FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC IN SUCH WAYS AS MAY BE THOUGHT FIT, ASSISTING UNEMPLOYED BENEFICIARIES BY: (A) BY PROVIDING OR ASSISTING IN THE PROVISION OF EDUCATIONAL PRE-EMPLOYMENT TRAINING SESSIONS, AND ALL NECESSARY SUPPORT DESIGNED TO ENABLE INDIVIDUALS TO BE SELFSUFFICIENT, (B) TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO FIND EMPLOYMENT TO BENEFICIARIES WHO STRUGGLE TO FIND EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION OR TRAINING. (C) PROVIDING MENTORING, GUIDANCE AND ADVICE: (D) ALLEVIATING THE POSITION OF THOSE WHO REMAIN UNEMPLOYED, IN EACH CASE BUT WITHOUT LIMITATION (I) PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT, AND BY ASSOCIATED PROGRAMME OF SUPPORT, TRAINING AND ACTIVITIES. TO ACT AS A RESOURCE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE UP TO THE AGE OF 25 BY PROVIDING ADVICE AND ASSISTANCE AND ORGANISING PROGRAMMES OF PHYSICAL, EDUCATIONAL AND OTHER ACTIVITIES AS A MEANS OF: A) ADVANCING IN LIFE AND HELPING YOUNG PEOPLE BY DEVELOPING THEIR SKILLS, CAPACITIES,AND CAPABILLITIES TO ENABLE THEM TO PARTICIPATE IN SOCIETY AS INTERDEPENDENT, MATURE, AND RESPONSIBLE INDIVIDUALS; B) ADVANCING EDUCATION C) RELIEVING UNEMPLOYMENT D) PROVIDING RECREATIONAL AND LEISURE TIME ACTIVITY IN THE INTERESTS OF SOCIAL WELFARE, FOR PEOPLE LIVING IN THE AREA OF BENEFIT WHO HAVE THE NEED BY REASON OF THEIR YOUTH, AGE, DISABILITY,ETHNICITY, POVERTY OR SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CIRCUMSTANCES WITH A VIEW TO IMPROVING THE CONDITIONS OF LIFE OF SUCH PERSONS.

The charity is focused on pre-employability to assist people in their path towards obtaining employment. The International Women’s Day public speaking events, and The Adapt to Change course were used to not only to assist the participants, but to also test and develop the content and approach to assisting people on their development path towards employment. In 2022, we started a youth group for two age groups to help support young people with their development so that they acquire the confidence needed to improve their employability and eventually obtain employment. A successful “Healthy eating” cookery course was developed as part of their activities, which could be used elsewhere by participants in the future. The report also proposes the way ahead for developing the charity in the future based on the activities already undertaken. As described, this will require provision of differing amounts of funding to enable the short term, medium term, and long-term activities to progress.

Contents Page

Executive Summary

About The Author About Choices For You

About Choices For Youth Introduction and Background Developing a sustainable charity model

Social Entrepreneurial Innovation

Independent Funding Short, Medium, and Long -term Plan Estimate the demand for Choices For You Our Work

Policy Amendment Recommendation Next Steps Conclusion

References Acknowledgments

About the Author

Charlene Maines

Positive Outcomes

When I first started this journey in 2010, I never thought I would be sat on my sofa, writing this report. I wanted to share with you all, my journey, and my WHY. I appreciate this report is not your typical “corporate style” of writing, however, I hope I have articulated the hard work that has been carried out by the charity since 2017. Although, I could have found a more experienced writer, I wanted to tackle this report head on, and learn new skills.

Aged 39, I live in East Hampshire, with my two teenagers and very naughty dog. After years of discovery and building a career, I have finally settled down. I am a District Councillor, a Charity Founder, and a BA Honours Graduate.

I hope as you navigate through the report, you will understand the complex issues that can affect a person obtaining employment.

About Choices For You

Choices for You was founded by Charlene Maines, a proud lone parent of two children, a domestic abuse survivor, a long-term unemployed claimant, and a cardiovascular patient with Marfan Syndrome. Due to a marriage breakdown, Charlene became unemployed, and entered the welfare system. During this period, Charlene has attended many unemployed courses herself over the years, and understands the issues and barriers faced by many individuals. Charlene felt the need to establish a transparent charity to help the unemployed and those from low-socioeconomic backgrounds in society to reach their full potential.

Choices For You, a UK-based unemployment charity that supports and develops various activities, including public speaking events, Pre-employment courses, and youth group projects focused on community cohesion. We take time to build trust, develop people's strengths, and encourage them to realize their full potential. The charity is committed to helping people by delivering unique pre-employability programmes with integrity that will help people on their journey towards training, employment, and education. We believe in the power of collaboration and have established local partnerships with various organisations and businesses to help people from low social and economic communities.

Choices For You is deeply committed to eliminating isolation and providing support to individuals in need. They offer pre-employability programs that are specifically designed by and for the unemployed, ensuring that the services provided are tailored to meet the unique needs of their target audience. By offering personalized support, they help individuals achieve sustainable and manageable outcomes. Life can be unpredictable, and it is precisely why a customized pre-employment service may be the ideal solution for anyone, regardless of age.

Since launching, Choices For You have helped 49 adults through their International Women’s / Men’s Day events and our Adapt to Change programme.

Passionate about ending isolation in all communities.

About Choices For Youth

Choices For Youth is the youth branch of Choices For You charity. We are a national registered charity focused on establishing youth groups across the UK. In June 2022, the charity was granted permission by the charity commissions to add our youth object to our constitution to work specifically with those aged under 25.

Our first youth group was launched in September 2022 in Rowlands Castle, East Hampshire, the home village of our founder Charlene Maines. This was an ideal location to pilot a youth group in the area.

Our youth group started in 2022 and operated twice a week during school term time for two different secondary school year groups. One group is for Years 7-9 on Tuesdays from 6.30 pm – 8.30pm (with the first session starting on Tuesday 13th September 2022). The other group is for Years 9-11 on Thursdays from 7pm - 9pm (with the first session starting on Thursday 15th September 2022). Both groups are free to attend.

In September 2022, we supported 2 youths with their Duke of Edinburgh Award through volunteering. In September 2023, we have welcomed 1 youth to complete their Duke of Edinburgh Award with us. The activities include delivering an individual cooking session to the group, under adult supervision.

Since September 2022, we have welcomed 49 children to our youth group and have received funding from various organisations. The funding has been allocated towards indoor equipment, hall rental, DBS checks, 9-week healthy eating program, tuck shop, games, arts and crafts, outdoor equipment,

Provide a Safe and non-judgemental Youth Group

Build Self Confidence and Self Esteem

Build Leadership/Teamwork Skills

Teach Positive Choices For Youth

Introduction and Background

In today’s economy, finding a job can be challenging, especially for those who are unemployed. One useful way of understanding societal problems is by examining a society’s level of poverty. Bradley et al (2012) define poverty as the imbalance in the allocation of resources within a given community caused by interrelated factors.

Individual Deficiency – Where a person is poor either because of poor decisionmaking and low motivation, or due to external factors such as a lack of education and opportunities to overcome personal deficiencies.
Structural Failing – A failure of central governments to create an economy that fosters wealth creation and fair distribution of opportunities.
Cultural and Disability Deficiency – Cultural, repetitive behaviour and values concerning people’s at ude towards work, education and business creation over generations create poverty within the local community.
Ability or Opportunity Deficiency – Uncertainty and lack of opportunities create vulnerability for low socioeconomic groups, limiting their possibilities and prospects.

Choices For You is a UK-based, up- and -coming national unemployment charity. We deliver pre-employment programmes, to support, and develop several public speaking events, and provide youth group projects, which are all focused on encouraging community cohesion. One of the most significant benefits of unemployment charities is that they supply an essential support system for those who are unemployed and aim to prevent unemployment in youths by providing leadership focused youth groups.

This support can come in many forms, from the provision of practical resources and training to emotional and social support networks. Charities provide a space for individuals to discuss their concerns and challenges, find their strengths and weaknesses, and collaborate with experts to develop a strategy for achieving their career goals.

Enthusiastic about ending isolation and helping those on the ground from low social and economic communities, we feel we need to be the change, to make a change.

Delivering pre-employability programmes with integrity, we help people on their journey towards training, employment, and education. The charity strongly believes that collaboration is key, which is why it has striven to build and keep local partnerships with various organisations and businesses to help people achieve a sustainable, manageable outcome. The entrepreneurial innovation service is free of charge to users, and programmes are delivered through either face-to-face training or online practice, with ongoing mentor support until an outcome is received (up to 1 year). To do this, the charity’s mission is to support all communities to realise their full potential, with a vision for a fairer society where no one is left behind www.choicesforyou.org

Copyright© Choices For You 2023

One way to increase the chances of finding employment is by mastering the art of recognising skills, experience, and value to potential employers. Unemployment is a major issue in our society, which has a significant impact on individuals and communities. The

unfortunate reality is that even with a strong economy, there will always be individuals who struggle to find employment due to a variety of factors, including poor mental health, past trauma, lack of employment support. In response to this, Choices or You was set up to help to those facing unemployment, often through philanthropy. Unemployment charity services are non-profit organisations that aim to provide aid and support to people struggling to find gainful employment. Choices For You offers many services that include training programmes, which include, personal well-being, employment, and leadership modules. The primary aim of Choices for You is to supply resources that empower individuals to secure a stable job, and income and achieve long-term financial security.

Another benefit of unemployment charities, such as Choices for You is their role in fostering an environment of community and mutual support. These organisations bring together individuals who are facing similar challenges and supply a platform for them to share their experiences. By collaborating and supporting each other, individuals can gain new insights, develop new skills and strategies, and find new opportunities for employment. Choices For You also play a vital role in society by supplying a safety net for those who are unable to find jobs due to assorted reasons, such as lack of resources, disabilities, or mental health issues. Finally, unemployment charities are a valuable resource for society because they help to mitigate the negative economic effects of unemployment.

The success and prosperity of a society are tied directly to its ability to provide its citizens with stable jobs and a stable income. By supporting individuals in their quest for employment, unemployment charities help to improve the overall economic health of the society.

To achieve sustainability, the charity will look to be self-sufficient in the long term by partnering with external partners and introduce a social franchise model. In conclusion, unemployment charities are an essential resource for individuals who are facing unemployment.

. Developing a sustainable charity model

Between 2017 and 2023, Choices For You used the start-up model to test pilot programmes, groups, and events aimed at identifying and meeting the needs of the community. As a charity, we need to operate like a private business to sustain our mission. Now, we are moving towards scaling up our operations to increase our impact and reach, but we need support to do so. We have explored various options to cover costs and secure funding, but one obstacle we face is our size and lack of established track record compared to larger charities. We understand that we need to expand our team to improve our delivery service and demonstrate our social impact to potential funders. Therefore, we have taken the time to focus on delivering a high-quality service and reporting back to our supporters to show that we can make a meaningful difference.

How entrepreneurial innovations can address societal problems.

Entrepreneurial innovation is the continuous process of introducing new products and services, improving existing systems and practices, and developing innovative technologies that have the potential to change the way we live and work. Entrepreneurs are the driving force behind innovation, and their ideas and efforts have made a significant impact on every aspect of our lives. The inherent appeal of entrepreneurial innovation lies in its ability to bring about positive change in various areas, generating growth and supplying opportunities for people to succeed. New services create demand, increasing the number of consumers in the market. This growth stimulates the economy by creating jobs, increasing revenue, and improving the standard of living for individuals and communities. Entrepreneurs who are successful in introducing innovative products or services often see substantial growth, leading to higher profits and gains. In turn, these developments drive further innovation, creating a positive feedback loop of economic growth. Entrepreneurial innovation such as Choices for you also drives social change. Innovations can find innovative solutions to complex problems faced by society. Social entrepreneurship, aims to create positive change through innovative solutions, has been increasingly popular with entrepreneurs, leading to the rise of initiatives aimed at environmental sustainability, poverty reduction, education delivery.

Innovators can find gaps in society’s needs and create solutions, which is what the founder of Choices For You has offered with its service. In conclusion, the inherent appeal of entrepreneurial innovation lies in its ability to drive economic growth, social change, and technological advancement. Entrepreneurs who undertake innovative projects often have the vision to see opportunities others cannot and take on the risk to pursue them. The impact of their inventions often leads to long-term benefits for their communities and society. As such, entrepreneurship continues to play a crucial role in shaping the world we live in and undoubtedly, will remain an essential element in driving modern innovation.

The questions I had facing me before deciding what Choices For You was going to be…...?

1. Who did I want to help?

2. Did I want to charge for my services?

3. Wat was the difference between being a CIO, Social Enterprise, sole trader, or limited company?

4. How much time could I commit?

5. What skills were needed to start a charity?

6. Did I have those, Skills?

7. Did I have the courage, vision, mission, and persistence to follow my dreams?

Social Entrepreneurial Innovation

Social entrepreneurial innovation refers to the development and implementation of innovative ideas and solutions that aim to address social problems and create positive social changes. This growing field of entrepreneurship is driven by the desire to create immense social impact while generating sustainable business models that can generate profits and create employment. In recent years, social entrepreneurial innovation has gained prominence as a significant approach to addressing social, economic, and environmental challenges. In this approach, innovative and sustainable business models are designed to address challenges such as poverty, unemployment, inadequate healthcare, environmental degradation, and social exclusion. A key characteristic of social entrepreneurial innovation is its focus on creating social value rather than just economic value. As such, these ventures focus on creating positive social impact, while also aiming to generate revenue and profits that can fuel their growth and innovation. Using the ‘triple bottom line’ idea, the theory’s main argument is that it does not just create economic or financial value, but has a wider spectrum of aims, including producing environmental and social value (Elkington,1998). The triple bottom line theory also reflects the components of sustainability, which refer to the long-term maintenance of systems according to environmental, economic, and social considerations’ (Crane and Matten, 2007, p.24).

Another critical aspect of social entrepreneurial innovation is its focus on collaboration and partnerships. Unlike traditional business models that focus on competition, social ventures often collaborate with other stakeholders, including governments, non-governmental organisations, and other businesses, to create a more significant social impact. Such collaboration enables social experiences to use resources and knowledge that help to drive innovation and growth. Moreover, social entrepreneurs often run within a highly specialized niche that they have identified as having significant social needs. For example, some social enterprises are designed to help combat homelessness or supply affordable education in underserved communities. By focusing on a specific specialist area, these ventures can develop specialized abilities, tailored business models, and solutions that cater to their target communities' particular needs.

Independent Funding

One potential solution for Choices For You to achieve long-term financial sustainability is to adopt a social franchise model and collaborate with existing organizations. Social franchises offer an innovative approach to address systemic employment challenges and deliver sustainable, scalable, and effective outcomes. They are a network of affiliated non-profit or for-profit organisations that use the same brand, operational strategies, and technical support to provide essential services to communities affected by poverty and underemployment. The use of social franchises can be a powerful way to promote employment by creating job opportunities, implementing sustainable business models, establishing market linkages, and improving working conditions. Employment charities can benefit significantly from adopting the social franchising model by leveraging the network effect, creating a regional or national brand, and accessing technical expertise and resources that may not be available otherwise. Typically, social franchises are established using a "bespoke" model, where a central organisation provides training, support, and quality control to affiliated branches or partners who deliver services locally. This model offers the advantage of consistency in branding, operations, and quality standards while allowing local partners to tailor their offerings to meet specific market needs.

Social franchises that focus on an employment charity usually supply job training, matching, and placement services. The strength of social franchises is their ability to harness economies of scale and use local partners' networks and knowledge to place people in jobs, particularly those hard to place in the labour market. Social franchises can supply critical job search resources, training, networking, and coaching to improve job seekers' chances of landing a job. Besides, they offer services such as CV building, interview preparation, and skill-building programmes to bridge workforce gaps and promote job retention. Social franchises can be particularly effective in promoting employment among underserved and underrepresented populations, such as those who lack formal education, have criminal records, or have disabilities. The social franchise model provides these job seekers with the training and support they need to become gainfully employed and make a positive contribution to their communities. Additionally, social franchises can sometimes offer a second chance to people who have been out of the labour force for a long time, providing a path to re-enter the workforce with new skills and confidence.

In conclusion, social franchising for employment charity programmes offers a smart way to address employment and economic challenges in an efficient, scalable, and effective way. By adopting this model, Choices For You can expand its reach, create more job opportunities, and supply valuable support to job seekers. Social franchising offers a powerful approach to change philanthropy by creating sustainable, replicable solutions to long-standing issues, which have the potential to transform communities for the better

Our Short-, Medium-, and Long-term Plan (Financials)

Short-term plan

Choices For You, start-up phase would require funding from external organisations.

£10,000 (first startup costs) include marketing, insurance, venue hire, volunteer costs, refreshments, Policies, applying for funding from local authorities, National Lottery, Pilot programmes in Hampshire, research franchise models, and focus on SWOT to show our charitable needs. Prepare a fundraising strategy, donate button to the website, promote our work on social media, and deliver our pre-employment training sessions, either online or face to face.

Medium-term Plan

£30,000- £100,000 Apply for larger-scale funding, recruit facilitator employees, to help expand our pe-employment programmes, further across the country, show delivery, and build trust with investors. To appoint more trustees, and to start the scale up.

Long term plan

£100,000 - £1,000,000 + to cover staff wages, CEO, Finance Manager, HR manager, Programme Facilitators, operation costs, and volunteer costs. Programme delivery across the United Kingdom, Social franchise charity model in place, and to be recognised as a social purpose organisation where at least one independent franchisee delivers a proven model under license and share learning. Design, and develop a career guide for the unemployed within programme delivery. Due to external factors, the charity has taken longer than others to scale up. We did not factor in lockdowns due to the Covid 19 outbreak, funding, extra support with running the internal charitable operations. The founder (Charlene also decided, if that was not enough, she would study a BA Honours in Business Management and Leadership degree, alongside building Choices For You). Time constraints also played an important factor, coping with a pandemic, and being a lone parent, during one of the most challenging times, in modern history.

In conclusion, to survive and achieve sustainability in a fast-growing hand changing environment, organisations need well thought out strategies (Christensen et al., 1998), including identifying and building of new business models or upgrading existing ones (Christensen and Raynor, 2003; Christensen et al.,2002). Social entrepreneurial innovation is an essential and growing approach towards addressing societal challenges. By combining innovation, business acumen, and a deep commitment to social values, social ventures can create positive social change that can inspire and help many people worldwide. With the increasing importance of social responsibility and sustainability, social entrepreneurship is destined to play a more prominent role in shaping our future, and fair societies, so that no one is left behind. However, developing, and commercialising entrepreneurial innovations and dealing with existing negative impacts on society may not deliver the holistic changes necessary to achieve long-term social and environmental sustainability (Bocken et al.,2014)

Estimate the demand for Choices For You

Charity organisations play a critical role in helping those who are facing unemployment and financial hardship. These organisations rely on donations and community support to help those who are in need. However, before distributing resources, they need to estimate the demand for their services and capabilities. This is a crucial step in ensuring that they can meet the needs of their target audience. Estimating the demand for unemployment charity services is a complex task that requires considering various factors. The most obvious one is the current unemployment rate in the community, which typically increases the demand for charity services. Therefore, these organisations need to stay updated with the latest unemployment statistics and trends to estimate the demand for their services accurately.

Another critical factor to consider is the profile of the unemployed population, which can vary depending on factors such as age, education level, and work experience. This can influence the type of support needed. For instance, young adults may need job training and support to enter the workforce for the first time. In contrast, older workers may need help in making a career transition or resuming employment after a period of unemployment. Understanding the specific needs of these various groups is critical to ensuring that charity organisations can supply the necessary services and resources. A third consideration is the availability of other support systems and resources. Many areas have government-funded assistance programmes, job centres, and other support services that can supplement the work of unemployment charity organisations. These existing resources can help to alleviate some of the demand for charity services. However, in areas where these resources are limited or inaccessible, the demand for charity support may be higher.

Finally, it is essential for charity organisations to consider the potential future demand for their services and their capabilities. Economic trends and projections can give some sign of how the employment landscape may change in the coming months and years. Anticipating these changes can help these organisations adapt and prepare for any future increases in demand.

In conclusion, estimating the demand for unemployment charity services is a crucial step in ensuring that these organisations can supply effective support to those in need. By considering current unemployment rates, the profile of the unemployed population, the availability of existing support systems, and future economic trends, organisations can make informed decisions about the services and resources they offer. This can help to ensure that those who are experiencing financial hardship due to unemployment can receive the support they need to get back on their feet. Although there is a huge demand for this service, critics may say that it is only for funding purposes. However, these organisations focus on helping those who need support, and a helping hand. They are often overlooked by society, and these organisations aim to assist them.

Our Work

2017 – 2023

Public Speaking Events – International Women’s Day

In 2018, Choices For You decided to run a local, public speaking event on International Women’s day. Firstly, the reader must remember, we were not a registered charity, I wanted to pilot projects before we even looked at scaling up the charity. The aim of the event was to end isolation in our communities .

Thursday 8[th] March 2018 – Leigh Park Friday 8[th] March 2019- Leigh Park Monday 6[th] March and Friday 10[th] March 2020 - Leigh Park and Portsmouth

Need – People in general can easily feel socially isolated, believing that no -one will understand their situation. Often facing multiple barriers, including child abuse, domestic abuse, mental Illness, former offenders, drug / alcohol addictions, LGBTQ, a carer, unemployed, single, or joint parent households, the list is long. We live in diverse communities, with families who do not meet or understand each other. Everyone deserves an opportunity to be able to share their stories in a safe, non-judgemental environment, and to learn from each other, to understand we are not alone. There is also a huge need to welcome organisations to the events so that people from the grassroots can access support services from their local council, domestic abuse support organisations, employment support services, and education support. There is a huge amount of community benefit in sharing stories, educating others, and building trust and understanding by sharing our experiences.

Aim – To provide a platform for local women and men to share their experiences, and to provide mentoring support throughout to participants.

Locations – Leigh Park and Portsmouth, Hampshire

Cost – No Cost, we received a free venue from local churches in Leigh park and Portsmouth. 2018 event, I paid for the food out of my benefit money. Asda provided food for the events in 2019 & 2020 .

Entry to the event was FREE.

Donations – Food donations from Asda

Partnerships – Stop Domestic Abuse, Asda, Caritas, Havant Borough Council, Portsmouth City Council

Positive Outcomes / Next Steps

Long-term unemployment can make a person feel isolated in their own community. Facing multiple barriers in life, has a high chance of leading to a mental illness,

We helped 24 people from 2018 -2020

htps://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/people/brave-group-share-domestc-abuse-andaddicton-survival-stories-mark-internatonal-womens-day-portsmouth-2292091

Feedback

“I feel so empowered after last week's event. I am so excited to be starting my support group coffee mornings this week. Lots being planned, and some exciting things in the pipeline. I was so nervous before the event, I felt so out of my depth and unprepared. Public speaking fills me with dread! But once I got up there and started, as emotional as it was, it felt amazing getting such a positive reaction. And I have been inundated with positive feedback since the event! I absolutely would recommend you to others! You’ve helped me overcome my fears and helped me realise my potential! The support you have given has pushed me to find the fire in my belly to succeed and do things I never thought I was able to achieve! My confidence has skyrocketed and I'm so excited to see how my plans play out! You've been a wonderful mentor and made me feel at ease from the very first day that I met you. Thank you for all your help. And I hope to continue working with you in the future!”

IWD Speaker

This was one of the most inspiring and moving things I’ve been involved with, thanks Charlene. You know, it reminded me of my purpose. All the speakers were outstanding, different, and unique, but mainly, real. Awesome, Powerful, and inspiring.

IWD Speaker

You should be very proud of yourself, Charlene, this has been a really inspiring, informative and eye watering event.

IWD Attendee

I attended tonight, why? Because I have been experiencing domestic abuse, and I have no one to speak too. Thank you for showing me, others go through adversity, and they manage to survive.

IWD Attendee

We provided feedback forms for all events, 98% of people who attended, scored us a 10/10 with no recommendations to change anything.

The remaining 2% scored us 8/10 with one recommendation to add extra time for networking.

Our Work

Public Speaking Events – International Men’s Day 2020

In 2020, Choices For You decided to hold an online public speaking event on International Men’s Day. We used the same format as our previous events, but due to the Coronavirus outbreak, we had to host it on Zoom instead of in person. Our goal was to create a safe space for men to share their stories, with topics ranging from mental health to addiction and abuse.

While the event went well overall, we did encounter a few issues. Random people were able to join the event and post explicit content, which was understandably upsetting for our speakers and attendees. Although everyone was understanding, it did affect the vibe of the evening and took away from the personal connections we usually make at our face-to-face events.

This experience reinforced the belief that storytelling is best told to an audience in person. It's difficult to provide comfort and support to a speaker through a computer screen, and the impact of their story is not as powerful. Moving forward, we believe that if we were to hold similar events, it would be best to do so in the community, face-to-face. While we appreciate the support we received online, we believe that our events will be more impactful and beneficial for the storytellers if they are held in person.

Choices For You has supported 24 people from 2018 to 2020 with our International Women’s Day and International Men’s Day events.

Adapt to Change – A Leader Within Us Programme

Since 2021, we have assisted 25 individuals through our Adapt to Change Programme. We were granted £10,000 by The National Lottery to enable us to help people to return to work by providing them with pre-employability programmes. The Adapt to Change career guide is available in either a long (80 pages) or short format (30 pages) and was developed by myself during my unemployment years.

Introduction:

Have you ever been asked what you would like to do with your career? Deciding what you want to do can be a daunting task, and it is easy for many people to feel overwhelmed and unsure of where to start.

Our Adapt to Change guide aims to help unemployed participants to gain a better understanding of the career planning process. It will guide you through ways to develop a daily routine, help you identify your career goals, plan how you will achieve them, and build the leadership skills needed to put your plans into action. We will also examine how to build confidence in your abilities, increase your self-esteem, recognize barriers, and empower you to confidently adapt to changes. Managing your career takes time, but the skills you learn will be useful throughout your working life. This guide has been written by a long-term unemployed claimant (Charlene Maines) and will help you develop the necessary skills. We need to understand leadership better so that we can improve ourselves and become better judges of others’ abilities and character. We hope this Choices For You career guide will provide you with effective tools, tips, and resources to help you build your inner reserves and develop a positive, resilient mindset to overcome adversity.

Adapt to Change Career Guide (Example)

How to use Choices For You career guide - You can use this guide either by working through it from start to finish or by using relevant sections as you need them

This guide focuses on YOU because, although external factors can change, the most important influence on your development is you. It is you who will be in the personal / work situation, so the clearer you are about your own characteristics, the more precisely you can specify what you want and communicate it to friends, family, mentors, and employers. This guide invites you to recognise your own qualities and abilities, so that you can define what you are really looking for in your life and career.

Take your tme It is difficult to predict how much time you will need for this process. Personal and career planning is a recurring process throughout all stages in our life, and change is constant. As we make changes and as circumstances change around us, so do our priorities, and what we need and want.

We also learn how to react to situations presented to us, and how our reactions can influence the choices we make. It is important to recognise who we are to make the necessary changes to live a more productive, fulfilling life.

Actvites

The career guide will focus on 3 modules.

Personal Well-being
Employability Skills
Leadership

The activities within this guide will help you to build a consistent foundation for creating a more fulfilling life. You may find some of this guide time-consuming and self-reflective, and you may need to return to them as your ideas develop. Working through the activities could be challenging, but they should also be rewarding. The insights you gain from them may help you understand yourself better and what is important to you in your career and life goals. We have Split the process into stages and recommend starting from the beginning, however, feel free to skip to the topic you feel will best support your current situation.

Working through the activities will give you an opportunity for quiet reflection, so take your time when completing them. You may find it helpful to ask for comments and opinions from people who know you well, especially if you are finding some activities difficult. Collaborating with other people can give your ideas, support, and encouragement, and they can function as a sounding board and suggest diverse ways of looking at things.

Whatever approach you decide on, make sure it is one you are comfortable with. You may also find it useful to share your journey with people around you are including your job coach, mentor, friends, family, mental health team, probation officer, ect. That choice is for you to make, and we suggest sharing it with people who want to encourage you, and to see you progress in life. No one appreciates a Negative Nelly ….

As you progress through this guide, you will notice a boost in your confidence and selfesteem. However, it is important to remember that this is simply an invitation to explore, and there is no need to put any undue pressure on yourself. External factors are often beyond our control, but we can control our internal state of mind. The journey towards personal wellbeing is a unique one, and it takes time. The module will guide you through this process and help you develop employability skills such as creating a CV, interview techniques, developing communication skills, and understanding how disability can affect employment opportunities. By working through this comprehensive and easy-to-read guide, you will be able to create a structured plan of action for yourself. Finally, this guide will end with a discussion on leadership skills, philosophy, and understanding the different types of leaders. By the end of this guide, you will be more confident and excited to embark on your career journey with a positive outlook.

You are in control and remember to make CHOICES FOR YOU

GOOD LUCK!!!!

Adapt to Change Programme - Delivery

We have delivered our pilot “Adapt to Change” course to 25 participants, either in face-toface group sessions, 1:1 session, and online sessions. We are proud to have supported people during their pre-employment journey and have achieved great success. With the help of The National Lottery Fund, our Adapt to Change Programme has helped 25 people to reach a positive outcome. Our support has included identifying adult education options and helping people to get admitted to college courses to enhance their skills, thus increasing their chances of employment.

Here is a breakdown of the positive outcomes we achieved:

One person applied to The Open University.
Three people applied to college for adult education.
One person found alternative work due to a disability.
Eight people applied for paid roles and successfully completed interviews, which led to employment.
Two people applied for PIP support and successfully identified their own barriers to employment, as well as the roles they could and couldn't do on our course.
One person received homeless support and will continue with their pre-employment course.
Three people were referred to organisations that provide domestic abuse support.
One person was referred to a local authority, for homeless support
Two people are continuing with therapy and will keep accessing support from Choices For You, once they are in a better position
Three people are currently being mentored by Choices For You

Pre employment Assessment

Pre employment Course – Adapt to Change Programme

Mentoring / Next Step Support

Positive Outcomes

Choices For You

Adapt to Change Programme

£10,000 National Lottery Community Fund

Office supplies, Including printing costs for workbooks posters. £5000 .
Marketing, including social media advertising,

£1,500.

Travel Costs for participants and Volunteers

£1,500

Venue Hire

£1,000

Refreshments

£1,000

As of 20/11/2023 we have spent £7,558.

We have £2,442 in the bank.

We supported 25 people from The National Lottery Community Fund

Short Term Plan (1 year) September 2022 – September 2023

To start with, we launched a pilot programme in a specific local area. This allowed us to make any necessary adjustments and closely monitor the progress of the initial programme. Additionally, we were able to identify local organisations to collaborate with. It is important to avoid making promises that we cannot keep, so we will be testing this initiative at our local youth group called Choices For Youth in Rowlands Castle. The programme commenced in September 2022.)

Medium Term Plan (2024 – 2028)

We would like to roll out the programme and youth groups in the southern parishes of East Hampshire (Rowlands Castle, Horndean, and Clanfield). To apply for funding for Youth workers.

Long Term Plan (10 Years 2024 – 2034)

We would like youth groups and schools to have access to our content, across the United Kingdom to deliver our “Cook and Eat In The Community” programme within their settings.

Healthy Eating Cook and Eat Youth Group Programme

Background and Overview

Founder of Choices for You – I am enthusiastic about educating others, and rebuilding communities. Often, I am asked why so enthusiastic? As a child, I loved to experiment with food. My family came from a low socioeconomic area. Unfortunately, an incident happened during my childhood that made me lose my confidence experimenting with food. For many years I was afraid to experiment in the kitchen, even when I had my own children. In 2012 my son (aged 6) was diagnosed with Marfan Syndrome – Connective Tissue disorder, unfortunately a few months later I was also diagnosed with the same condition (aged 28). We both suffer from Cardiovascular Issues. In 2019 my son (13) was told he would need his aortic valve replaced in the future. We are both on beta blocker medication. The diagnosis made me re-evaluate my life choices including my diet, overall health, routine, and exercise. This was extremely hard during my 30’s as I had to not only accept but commit to a healthier way of life. This could be extremely difficult for people like me, who come from low socioeconomic background who have not been educated in this subject to change their habits. To change behaviours successfully we need to build trust, simplify nutrition education, and provide a safe space for people to have fun whilst experimenting with food and have time to find out what routine best suits their needs.

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I have gained confidence from experimenting with new dishes that include lots of fish, vegetables, nuts, and fruit. I come from a background where I have had little education

about food, healthy eating/ living, exercise, nutrition, food waste, and eating healthier on a budget.

I had extraordinarily little money as I was claiming welfare benefits due to being an unpaid carer for my son. Often it was tough to make my money stretch due to the lack of financial education and awareness around bulk buying and bulk cooking.

I previously suffered from mild depression and anxiety, due to money worries – this would cause me to feel guilt and panic- buy food I did not need.

I was responsible for a lot of food waste in my home, and I wanted to make a change regarding my unhealthy habits and how I could protect the environment and learn more on climate change.

My subjective experiences of low income, no self-confidence or belief in my cooking abilities, limited my knowledge on healthy eating, and limit any chance of progression. Unhealthy thinking patterns and behaviours often lead to unhealthy life choices, which lead to an increase in alcohol consumption, buying more processed products with elevated levels of sugar or salt, ready meals for convenience, due to low budget. My passion is to rebuild communities who are hidden from society due to isolation and exclusion, on low incomes, have. a health condition, lack in cooking skills. It is important for families to cook together, have a conversation together and eat together. This approach strengthens family bonds, improves life skills for both children and adults and creates unity within a family setting.

We have created a 9 - week “Cook and Eat In The Community” cooking course aimed at promoting healthy lifestyle choices and social inclusion for low socioeconomic status households in communities. We have developed our Cook and Eat In The Community programme from our very own subjective experiences. We aim to set up regular weekly cooking clubs in education settings to encourage, engage and educate the community about healthy lifestyles and food choices. We aim to help those from low socioeconomic and excluded communities who find it hard to overcome their belief “They can’t cook, so won’t cook.” We will do this by introducing fun, family orientated cooking classes which we hope during the programme build confidence, improve teamwork skills, and increase their belief of their own cooking abilities.

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We believe education is key from an early age, as this will help prevent health complications in later life that burden the NHS with substantial costs. Children and Adults thrive in

education, and learning cooking skills will increase their knowledge, understanding, selfconfidence and self-esteem during their most important development stages. As someone who suffers from cardiovascular issues, and having previous limited understanding of a healthy diet, I was unable to identify the healthiest way of living. This led me to become frustrated and I continued with unhealthy toxic food cycles, panic- buying which led to food waste, feeling tired, unhealthy, and suffering deep depression and anxiety. I took it upon myself to study diets for cardiovascular patients and better mental health. Once I became confident with knowing what to look for, and the change I needed to make, I started to enjoy the process of experimenting with different foods that better suited my needs. I created a daily routine for breakfast, lunch and dinner and a day/ night routine which provided me with a better sleep pattern.

We will run the programme in youth groups, and schools over 9 weeks for up to 10 families (size dependent) at a time, led by at least 2 volunteers.

We will think carefully about the mix of families, and additional support staff will be on standby to stay and help with more vulnerable or in - need families if necessary. Teachers will choose those families who receive free school meals and in need who will benefit most from the educational health and nutrition programme.

Giving parents time without the children is important –the parents quickly become their own little support group in helping with food and barrier related issues! We also discuss money saving strategies such as making ‘bulk’ meals and freezing them. This saves time especially for those who lead busy lives or how one simple recipe can be made into several dishes.
Introduce professional partners to parents from different industries such as GP surgeries, Charities, Local Authority, and local social enterprises who will deliver bespoke talks about their services. Professionals will come in each week to support parents and make them aware of the services that are available in the local community.
We want to promote inclusion and healthy eating from social and economic disadvantage communities.
Develop self-confidence with their cooking skills.
To promote knowledge about healthy lifestyles in general and encourage the importance of families sharing food, cooking, conversation about our health and eating together.
Raise awareness about obesity, due to poor diet and lifestyle choices.
Raise awareness about Diabetes in the community.
Raise awareness about Cardiovascular and Heart disease.
Understanding the pros and cons Bulk cooking /and Panic Buying

To inspire learners to believe in their cooking abilities.
To teach trial and error theory – If we make a mistake, we try again.
Raise awareness about food waste and promote shop smart.
Raise awareness on Global warming and the link to food waste.
Develop children’s life skills.
Develop children’s cooking skills.
To promote inclusion and healthy eating from all different ethnic communities. Develop self-confidence cooking skills for our participants to promote knowledge about healthy lifestyles in general and encourage the importance of families sharing food, cooking, conversation about our health and eating together.
Raise awareness about obesity, because of poor diet and lifestyle choices in childhood and adulthood.
To promote the awareness of bulk / panic buying and how this leads to food waste.

During the 9-week course, we will provide a variety of recipes ranging from simple, popular classics to more complex ones that we've experimented with ourselves. Our aim is to encourage both children and adult learners to experiment with cooking, which will boost their confidence. Families will have the opportunity to build up their own file of recipes, and we will introduce new foods from diverse cultures to encourage them to broaden their taste buds. This will also provide an opportunity to discuss different ethnic groups in our communities and promote inclusion for all. Additionally, we will invite a health practitioner to support those who may be at risk of obesity or other health-related issues by offering a blood pressure check and providing health information. We believe that eating together is essential, and it provides a platform to promote table manners, dinner conversation, and encouraging appropriate portion control. Conversations around our health, nutrition, and diet are also important and beneficial for all. At the end of each course, we will hold a presentation and award certificates to celebrate the achievements of our learners.

Copyright© Choices For You 2023

Individual Youth Group Meal Plan – Chosen by the youths in 2023.

Lunch

Dinner

Dessert


Pita Pizza	Vegetable Pasta Bake with Garlic Bread	Blueberry Mufns
Ete’s Delicious Halloumi Wraps, and Feta Salad	Koko’s Surprise Macaroni Cheese	Kacey’s Simply Delicious Pancakes
Cheese Toastes	Natalie’s Homemade Chicken Nugget Meal	Homemade Shortbread Fingers and Fresh Fruit

Other recipes we will include sweet potato curry, spaghetti Bolognese, lasagne, chicken casserole, roasted fish and wedges, mixed bean hotpot, Shepherd’s Pie, Vegetable curry, fish cakes, chicken wraps, breaded chicken, fish, pasta, kebabs, fruit cobbler, fruit muffins, chocolate brownies with fresh fruit, blueberry muffins, cheese scones.

It is our goal to provide volunteer opportunities to those who have attended our previous courses. We will keep track of the progress of our participants through feedback forms and timelines, which will demonstrate their growth. Our Cook and Eat In The Community course is intended to educate families from underprivileged backgrounds about healthy eating and to identify and provide support for issues such as financial difficulties, domestic abuse, drug/alcohol addiction, mental health, disability/carer support, and teenagers at risk of joining gangs and county lines involvement.

Research

Cardiovascular Disease (CVD), Heart Disease, and Food

Learning about food, how to prepare it and the principle of a healthy diet is important for every child. Every year, the NHS spends £10billion treating people with diet-related illnesses, from obesity, diabetes to heart disease. Almost 20 per cent of children are obese by the time they leave primary school , and families on lower incomes tend to be the most disadvantaged in terms of their culinary knowledge and skills.

CVD is the leading cause of disability and death in the UK. Our population is aging, living longer in ill health and stubborn inequalities persist. For patients and the sustainability of the NHS we must increase our efforts to prevent illness instead of waiting to treat it.

Data from British Heart Foundation shows, 7.6 million people are living with heart and circulatory diseases in the UK. Health care costs relating to heart, and circulatory diseases are estimated at £9 billion each year. CVD’s cost to the UK economy (including premature death, disability, and informal costs) is estimated to be £19 billion each year. www.bhf.org.uk

Diabetes and Food

Diabetes cost the NHS £10 billion each year. This is due to complications, things such as blindness, amputations, kidney failure, and stroke.

There are many ways that food can affect how we feel, just as how we feel can have an influence on what we choose to eat. And knowing what and when to eat can be difficult when you have diabetes.

You might be feeling overwhelmed about what you should be eating which can often lead to eating too much of the wrong types of food. We are not saying that you can never eat unhealthy food, but you should aim to eat it in moderation and to follow a healthy diet. Some people with diabetes need to eat regularly to help prevent blood glucose levels dropping. Hypos can be dangerous if not treated quickly. Choosing foods that release energy slowly will help keep your sugar levels steady and keep you feeling full for longer. High blood sugar levels can also impact your mood – you may feel irritable, angry, grumpy, or lethargic.

htps://www.diabetes.org.uk/guide-to-diabetes/emotons/your-feelings-about-food-anddiabetes

www.diabetes.org.uk

Obesity and Food

We are facing an obesity crisis. One in 3 children leave primary school overweight or obese and new figures show the levels of severe obesity in children aged 10 to 11 are higher than ever before. The childhood obesity plan has a commitment to halve the rate of childhood obesity by 2030.

The NHS long-term plan should build upon this to target adult obesity. One way to achieve this is by increasing weight management support provision.

Making it routine for people to have their body mass index (BMI) measured and recorded in primary care and pharmacy settings will provide an opportunity for healthcare professionals to give advice, promoting national guidance on diet and physical activity.

The NHS long-term plan should also renew our commitment to the NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme (NDDP). Type 2 diabetes, for which obesity is a key driver, is a major contributor to kidney failure, heart attack, and stroke. It costs the NHS around £8.8 billion every year.

Successful delivery will require action from every part of civil society. We must pull together to use our resources and we must engage the public directly in the choices they are making about their own health and wellbeing.

The UK government is spending an estimated cost of £27 billion in the wider community to tackle obesity.

On childhood obesity the NHS spends £4.2 billion a year which without urgent action will rise to £10 billion by 2050

Youth Groups and Schools

We will run the programme in youth groups, and schools over 9 weeks for up to 10 families (size dependent) at a time, led by at least 2 volunteers.

Giving parents time without the children is important –the parents quickly become their own little support group in helping with food and barrier related issues! We also discuss money saving strategies such as making ‘bulk’ meals and freezing them. This saves time especially for those who lead busy lives or how one simple recipe can be made into several dishes.
Introduce professional partners to parents from different industries such as GP surgeries, Charities, Local Authority, and local social enterprises who will deliver bespoke talks about their services. Professionals will come in each week to support parents and make them aware of the services that are available in the local community.
We want to promote inclusion and healthy eating from social and economic disadvantage communities.
Develop self-confidence with their cooking skills.
To promote knowledge about healthy lifestyles in general and encourage the importance of families sharing food, cooking, conversation about our health and eating together.
Raise awareness about obesity, due to poor diet and lifestyle choices.
Raise awareness about Diabetes in the community.
Raise awareness about Cardiovascular and Heart disease.
Understanding the pros and cons Bulk cooking /and Panic Buying
To inspire learners to believe in their cooking abilities.
To teach trial and error theory – If we make a mistake, we try again.
Raise awareness about food waste and promote shop smart.
Raise awareness on Global warming and the link to food waste.

Develop children’s life skills.
Develop children’s cooking skills.

To promote inclusion and healthy eating from all different ethnic communities. Develop self-confidence cooking skills for our participants to promote knowledge about healthy lifestyles in general and encourage the importance of families sharing food, cooking, conversation about our health and eating together.
Raise awareness about obesity, because of poor diet and lifestyle choices in childhood and adulthood.
To promote the awareness of bulk / panic buying and how this leads to food waste.

Individual Youth Group Meal Plan – Chosen by the youths in 2023.

Lunch	Dinner	Dessert
Pita Pizza	Vegetable Pasta Bake with Garlic Bread	Blueberry Mufns
Ete’s Delicious Halloumi Wraps, and Feta Salad	Koko’s Surprise Macaroni Cheese	Kacey’s Simply Delicious Pancakes
Cheese Toastes	Natalie’s Homemade Chicken Nugget Meal	Homemade Shortbread Fingers and Fresh Fruit

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Choices For Youth
2022/2023
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Rowlands Castle Parish Council £250

Rowlands Castle Association £650

Rowlands Castle Village Fair £329.99

East Hampshire District Council - Councillor Fund (2022) £951.46

Good Neighbours - £300

Total =£2, 481.45 (spent)

We have supported 49 Children since September 2022

2 children completed their Duke of Edinburgh Award in 2022 1 child has started their Duke of Edinburgh Award 2023/2024

Politics

The following policy amendment was developed to help those who are in a similar position.

Carers Allowance – Change to terms to allow full-time degree study.

Dave Thomsett and Charlene Maines (Choices For You Founder)

Our Government Policy Amendment

Policy Amendment

Carers Allowance – change to terms to allow full-time degree study Dave Thomsett and Charlene Maines (Choices For You Founder)

About:

Dave Thomsett. Had a fulfilling career in the Royal Navy, retiring in 1992 as a Commander. He Formed a successful system engineering and research consultancy in 2001, retiring as Chairman in 2021. As the local Conservative Policy Forum (CPF) coordinator, Dave welcomes the opportunities provided by the CPF for constructive feedback on government policy.

Charlene Maines joined the conservative party in 2019 under Boris Johnson's leadership. Has recently set up a brand-new charity ‘Choices For You’ to help the unemployed back into work. Currently studying for a part-time BA Honours degree in Business Management and Leadership, around her unpaid carers’ role. Charlene lives in East Hampshire with two wonderful teenagers and their dog, Charlie."

Summary: Many of us will become unpaid carers; not by choice but through an overwhelming sense of loyalty to a family member or close friend who is disabled. Personal plans and careers will be put on hold with little choice for many but to claim universal credit and benefits. The impact on individual carers is truly life- changing.

The government recognizes the challenges faced by carers, many of whom are in their teens and early 20s, by providing a modest allowance of £67.60 per week for full-time unpaid carers. There are strings attached and no allowance is paid if you undertake a full-time three-year degree course by remote learning. This implies that carers cannot be expected to make a considerable commitment to further education. How wrong is this assumption? Many of those with the ability to study at degree level must now take part-time degrees over six years; effectively delaying financial independence and career progression whilst extending their dependence on benefits.

This proposal makes a compelling case to dispense with this limitation and pay Carer’s Allowance to those carers studying for a full-time degree. Post-COVID, studying and working from home has become the norm for many supported by multimedia technology and new, more flexible ways of working. It opens opportunities for qualified carers to pursue well-paid jobs working from home with the prospect of moving off benefits and achieving career progression, whilst allowing flexibility in how caring is provided.

Copyright© Choices For You 2023

The DWP response six years ago, when the matter was last raised, was to suggest full-time carers seek educational funding: hardly helpful when the caring responsibilities continue and the educational funding available is normally provided by way of a student loan—not a sensible option if you are already on benefits!

Working practices and information technology have moved on in six years; now is the time to allow carers the opportunity to help themselves to ‘level up’ by studying full-time from home with the continued support of Carer’s Allowance. There may even be a modest tax gain for the exchequer as degree-qualified carers move off benefits earlier and are taxed on earnings. Why not act now and implement this simple rule change?

Who Cares?

According to recent research by Carers UK, there are estimated to be 13.6 million carers in the UK, an increase of 4.5 million since the beginning of the COVID pandemic. Most of these carers are unpaid and will have put their careers on hold, taken lower-paid part-time work, or moved on to benefits.

A recent BBC report talks about there being 700,000 young carers in their teens and early 20s. Many of these young people find it difficult to come to terms with the challenges faced by caring responsibilities and the disruption it causes to their lives, including the impact on education and career prospects.

The Government recognizes the difficulties faced by unpaid carers by paying a Carer’s Allowance of £67.60 per week. This allowance is means-tested and subject to qualifying criteria related to both the type of care provided and the income and status of both the carer and the person being cared for. Full-time carers who qualify must spend at least 35 hours a week on caring duties. These cover a wide range of domestic duties and personal help.

Current legislation does not allow unpaid carers to undertake a full-time degree course without loss of Carer’s Allowance. The rules mean they cannot claim Carer’s Allowance if they commit to study over three hours a day or 21 hours a week. For those seeking to study for a degree, the only alternative is to take a six-year course from a restricted choice of degree courses offered by a few universities. This acts as a disincentive to self-improvement, discriminates against carers who wish to undertake the necessary study and impedes career progression and employment prospects.

What the Government said in 2016

Sarah Newton, Minister of State, Department for Work and Pensions (2016):

This Government recognises and values the vital contribution made by all carers, young or old in supporting some of the most vulnerable in society including pensioners and those with disabilities. The Government thinks it is important that carers can maintain links with the education system and so carers are able to undertake part-time education and still receive Carer’s Allowance

Copyright© Choices For You 2023

However, there are no plans to change the current 21-hour study rule as we think it is right that people in full-time education should be supported by the educational maintenance

system, via its range of loans and grants, rather than the social security benefit system. That is why, as a general principle, full-time students are usually precluded from entitlement to income-related and income-maintenance benefits.

Many college courses are provided based on 16 hours a week supervised study, so we have been working with the Learning and Work Institute and colleges to increase awareness of the Carer’s Allowance study rules.

Times have changed.

The reasons for this Government decision appear based on an assumption that carers need to attend their place of study on a weekly basis. Whilst a valid assumption for most vocational training, it does not apply to those wishing to devote themselves to study at degree level. For these the need to attend a university is planned well in advance and limited to a handful of days per year. By being allowed to study remotely for a full-time degree, carers have a much wider range of university degree courses to choose from. This allows them to find the most appropriate course suited to their needs, particularly where previous educational attainment and qualifications are considered. Another factor to consider is that a local University may well be an attractive option for some carers. This keeps the cost of travel and accommodation down when attendance is required, as well as helping with informal contacts.

The DWP response in 2016 questions whether the department should even pay a Carer’s Allowance if the carer wants to study full-time. Surely DWP are not suggesting that caring responsibilities have somehow been overstated or will be neglected if the carer is studying full-time? Those carers who make a profoundly serious commitment to study full-time do so at considerable personal cost in terms of effort, cost, and time. They should not be penalised by removing an allowance they should remain entitled to as their caring responsibilities have not changed. Then to suggest they should be supported by unspecified educational grants and student loans instead appears to be shifting blame to another department rather than acting to solve the problem.

Proposal

Remove the restriction on unpaid carers studying for a full-time degree by allowing them to continue to qualify for carers’ allowance.

Why now?

The use of Multimedia Information Technology by universities for remote learning and its wide adoption during lockdown has revolutionised how higher education is delivered. The Government’s initiative to roll out full fibre to gain access to fast broadband internet services has already proved to be a major enabler to remote learning as well as business. These advances make the current arbitrary restriction on study hours by the DWP, as a condition for receiving the carers’ allowance, unnecessary.

The onus is clearly on the adult carer to commit to the course study requirements and cost of tuition, whilst fulfilling their caring duties. Once they have been accepted for a full-time course, most universities will respond positively to changes in student’s personal circumstances. The option to undertake a full-time degree course is clearly serious.

commitment and one which only a minority of carers will feel able to take. For those who can pursue this path, it is likely they will already have some past academic achievement that will give them a head start in their studies.

The proposed change, if implemented, provides tangible recognition that carers are valued by society and the government appreciates the valuable service they give. Imagine looking at the current DWP rules and being put off from applying to study for a full-time university education. When implemented, the proposal will provide a good example of ‘levelling up,’ whilst simplifying Carer’s Allowance rules.

What will it Cost?

The cost of removing this restriction on paying Carer’s Allowance is not considered to be significant. If unpaid carers were able to participate in full-time education over a three-year period instead of part-time study over six years, there is high probability that they will be in a better position to move off government welfare and into paid employment three years earlier than allowed by current rules. Well-paid employment by remote working has become an established choice for many employers and employees.

It is suggested there will be an eventual gain to the exchequer as those degree-qualified carers are able to move off benefits three years earlier. This could save the government as much as £10,545.60 per claimant who commits to study for a full-time degree in three years. (Weekly Carer’s Allowance = £67.60 x 52 weeks = £3,151.20 savings per year). There could also be additional tax revenue on carers’ earned income, once qualified.

What Carers Say

The following comments by carers were obtained as the result of an online petition to get the rules for Carer’s Allowance changed. These anonymised examples give a valuable insight into the problems of being on Carer’s Allowance and wishing to study for a full-time degree.

“I understand the rules, however as a part-time student we are not entitled to any student loans to help pay for our fees or books. We are in a demanding situation. Could those on benefits be exempt from student loans on full-time courses? Just like on part-time courses. We are not asking for more money, just a fair shot at studying full-time rather than parttime. In fact, in the long term, we would be saving the government money by withdrawing from the benefit system earlier.”

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“I am studying a BA Honours in Business Management and Leadership part-time over six years with the Open University around my caring commitments.

There are 168 hours in each week, you must spend at least 35 hours caring. To be allowed to claim Carer’s Allowance the rules state carers are to study no longer than 21 hours per week under the Carer’s Allowance rules. 35 (caring hours) + 21 (study hours) = 56 hours A pandemic has shown us that studying online works for carers. With 102 hours to spare, why am I penalised? I will pay my own university fees; I do not expect the taxpayer to pay them. I only became an unpaid carer due to my son’s medical condition and not having much choice.

Six years of studying could have been cut in half by three years. People want to move on in life.

This really needs to change.”

Conclusion

The option to undertake a full-time degree course is clearly a serious commitment and one which only a minority of carers will feel able to take. For those who can pursue this path, it is likely they will already have some past academic achievement that will give them a head start in their studies.

The fiscal impact of removing the study restriction on receiving carers allowance is likely to be small and should be more than offset by moving off benefit support and the increased tax raised from carers’ improved earnings.

Removing the restriction will function as an incentive to carers and recognise in a small way the sacrifice they make to their personal life and ambitions to help those with disabilities. The government has rightly emphasised the need to encourage self-improvement. The 2019 government manifesto states “We will build a Britain in which everyone can make the most of their talents. We will ensure that work will always pay. We will create a fair society, in which everyone always contributes their fair share.” The minor change proposed to the rules for receiving carers allowance removes an outdated obstacle to those who want to better themselves whilst caring for others. It is a move that can be implemented this year to prove the Government is listening and committed to its promises.

Choices For You Recommendation

Job Centres

Here are some suggestions to improve the job centres in the UK and the services offered to claimants:

The DWP should invest in modernizing the job centres across the country.
All security guards should be removed from the job centres to create a more welcoming and less intimidating environment.
Claimants should be provided with a detailed pre-employment assessment to determine their specific needs.
Pre-employment programmes should be made available to claimants based on their individual needs.
All claimants should receive a robust and dedicated work strategy, including a career diary and guide, and mentor support into employment.
Work coaches should be separate from benefit claims/ sanctions ect.

Everyone deserves a good employment advisor who knows exactly what they’re doing, regardless of their situation/ financial background.

James earns £100,000 per year but has recently been laid off because his company closed. Luckily, James has financial stability to hire a recruitment consultant who can assist him in finding a suitable job. These consultants work on building positive relationships with job seekers like James, so they can better understand their needs and requirements without adding any additional stress or pressure.

Charlene has been out of work for a long timer, unfortunately a medical diagnosis has been confirmed. Charlene has quickly realized that her schedule is not flexible enough to work around hospital appointments, and other medical requirements for herself and her son. Unfortunately, Charlene relies on state welfare as she has no disposable income, which means she must attend her local job centre to find work. However, she misses her first appointment due to a hospital appointment 35 miles away. As a result, Charlene faced a sanction, where her benefit money is deducted. This makes her angry and frustrated, and she does not feel like engaging with her job coach at the local job centre, anymore.

1. The DWP should invest in modernizing the job centres across the country.

Investing in modernizing the Job Centres across the UK is crucial if we want to help people get back to work. To provide a more welcoming environment, we need to ensure that the centres are up to date with modern amenities. Many people, like me, have felt ashamed when attending an appointment with their work coach. Upon entering the job centre building, a security guard is there to greet you. After signing in, you are directed to sit on the chairs provided and wait for your name to be called. However, the walls are bland, and the atmosphere is often tense and negative. Therefore, it is essential to invest in creating a more positive and welcoming environment that can help people feel more comfortable and confident when seeking employment.

2. All security guards should be removed from the job centres to create a more welcoming and less intimidating environment.

As mentioned earlier, I strongly believe that the presence of security guards in job centres is unnecessary and should be removed. While I understand that some may argue that security guards are there to protect the staff and other job centre users, it is important to ask ourselves why. In my opinion, having a stern-looking security guard looking at you suspiciously can be detrimental to anyone who walks into a job centre to look for work. Finding a job should be an enjoyable and exciting experience, especially for someone who has been out of work for any length of time. However, the presence of security guards can create an unwelcoming and intimidating atmosphere.

Furthermore, it is possible that security guards are there to protect staff and job centre users from people who may become angry about not receiving the right support, frustrated because they have been sanctioned, or experiencing health conditions that make it difficult for them to read or write. They may also be under the influence of drugs or alcohol,

3. Clients should be provided with a detailed pre-employment assessment to determine their specific needs.

On the first day, a comprehensive and customised pre-employment evaluation is required to identify specific requirements. This assessment can be conducted in person or online via Teams and will enable the work coach to establish a connection, comprehend the individual's current education, skills, obstacles, and disabilities, including learning disabilities, to develop a solid back-to-work strategy.

4. Pre-employment programmes should be made available to claimants based on their individual needs.

Once the work coach has completed a thorough pre-employment assessment to identify the specific requirements of the client, they can proceed with the application process and guide the client towards joining a pre-employment programme developed by Choices For You. The programme consists of three modules that cover Personal Wellbeing, Employability Skills, and Leadership Skills. The programme has been tried and tested and was designed by unemployed individuals, for unemployed individuals, ensuring it meets the needs of those seeking employment.

5. All clients will receive a career diary and guide, and mentor support into employment.

The Job Centre should provide all clients with a career diary to help them keep track of their progress. The diary includes a timetable and calendar, which assists clients in organizing their appointments and personal commitments in one place. Our career guide is divided into three modules, which are covered in our pre-employment course. This is especially helpful for clients who are unable to attend pre-employment programs due to certain issues. The career guide is designed to aid both the client and the work coach.

6. Work coaches should be separate from benefits

It's important to establish a positive relationship based on trust when helping someone find work. Currently, individuals who attend job centres are at risk of being sanctioned by their work coach if they do not search for employment or miss appointments. However, this approach can be counterproductive. Work coaches should not be involved in welfare claims or sanctions. Instead, they should focus on building a relationship with the client to help them find suitable long-term employment. By separating welfare benefits and the job centre, clients will be prevented from becoming frustrated, disengaged, angry or upset due to antagonistic conversations regarding welfare claims and sanctions.

Next Steps – We need YOUR help to scale up.

Why?

One of the reasons I wanted to start a charity was to help people, and to make sure no one was left behind. I remember being ridiculed by someone regarding my dreams of being a founder and CEO of my own charity. I understand, although skilful, I cannot do it all, and need some support and guidance with scaling up the charitable, internal operations. So, what support do we need, to enable our work to continue?

Funding Bid Application Forms

We are an up-coming national charity, unfortunately funding is competitive, and we need support to deliver an articulate business plan for future success. Unfortunately, we were denied funding for the youth group from a local authority, as we didn’t score well on the application form, when applying. Although we evidenced delivery, we were unsuccessful, which meant we could only run one session per week, instead of the 2 sessions. We would like to apply for funding to pay for a youth worker, and 2 facilitators for The Adapt to Change programme.

Trustee Support

We have fabulous trustees on board, however, if we continue with our mission to scale up, we will need support from trustees who have experience within finance, business, not for profit sector, start up – scale up experience, and lived experience.

Investors

We are looking for investors, people who can spare time to offer guidance. It would be great to ask for money, however we much prefer to build trust. I appreciate, time is limited, but it would be great if we could get some help. The charity has great potential, to help people across the UK.

Please email charlene@choicesforyou.co.uk

Copyright© Choices For You 2023

Conclusion

(A heartfelt conclusion and recommendations from Charlene Maines – Founder of Choices For You)

When I became unemployed in 2010, I did not realise that it would save my life and transform me into the person I was meant to be. I went through multiple adversity during my childhood, adolescent, and adult years, and was finally diagnosed with Complex Trauma. During those years, I didn’t know adversity would become my best friend, and become the driving force I needed to succeed in life. We tend to keep our personal lives separate from our working life.

During the adverse years, not only was I battling present issues, the past (which I had been unsuccessfully running away from), I also had to deal with the future anxiety worries. You see, unemployment can affect us all, and I hope that all those that are reading this social impact report, (especially professionals) please do not judge, because a lot have judged me in the past. I never intended to become a long-term unemployed claimant, I had my shortterm plan in place back in 2012 to gain work experience, which I did, and I successfully completed a 3-month placement at a local mortgage broker in Portsmouth. I used my welfare money to pay for travel costs and I am very proud to say, I learned many skills including how to copy and paste. I was about to be offered a full-time job; however, life took an unexpected turn, and my son had to undergo a foot operation which led to him being off school for 3 months. Unfortunately, we were informed a heart murmur was detected which led to multiple tests that finally confirmed he had Marfan Syndrome.

A few months later, I was also diagnosed with the same condition. Now, I bet you are thinking “Why is she sharing this within the charity social impact report”. I am sharing to show people, life/ circumstances can change in an instant. I also wanted to share that I suffered emotional and physical abuse during my childhood, and this affects people into adulthood.

Gaining employment is not just about working and contributing to society, it is about identifying who we are as an individual. What skills do we have? Do I like working in a team? Do I prefer to work alone? What qualifications do I have? What qualifications do I need?

But, most importantly, the question we need to ask ourselves is…… “What do I want?”

The Adapt to Change programme – Our Pre-employment programme was designed by myself, based on my own lived experience. The programme enables people to have the time and space to figure out who they are. The programme looks at barriers to employment for each person who attends the course. We have so far helped many people into Positive outcomes.

Copyright© Choices For You 2023

Becoming a founder of a charity – Now, to look at the charity, many would say, why has it not progressed, why is no fundraising taking place, how do they survive?

Firstly, when I decided to start Choices For You in 2017, I was at the point of feeling like I could save the world. What’s the point of dreaming if we, are told by society, one must dream small? I am a visionary; I saw Choices For You being a national charity. Unfortunately, most established charities started many years ago, and they have experienced CEOs in charge. I am a founder, there is a huge difference. The first 6 years has been focused on the startup model, which has been messy, slow, frustrating, and sometimes, even founders feel at a loss. Remember, my experience was from being a long-term unemployed claimant, not a polished CEO. We live in a world of opportunity, and I believe we all have a calling in life. I also did not factor in the Covid Pandemic in March 2020. I, like many others, lost motivation after lockdown. Although lockdown was necessary at the time, being restricted, our service slowed. We did manage to work with people online and adapt to the change.

How our personal lives affect us in the workplace – In 2015, I remember being appointed as the Volunteer and Secondment Executive with The Prince’s Trust. 5 years of unemployment experience, I was offered a once- in- a - lifetime opportunity to managed 120 people across Hampshire, Dorset, and Isle of Wight. Now, you may say “Charlene, why are you shocked at this appointment?” I was shocked because I felt I failed at the interview, you see I had no experience on how to present myself or articulate my skills in a corporate environment. I was asked to explain my feelings on the charity. I said “It’s like going on a first date from Tinder. I feel excitement, and passion with helping people, just as much as meeting the right person, and to fall in love with” I realise, I was just being me. The key to life is accepting you are not like everyone else, you are you, the quirkiness is part of your identity. I got the job and realised so many things that I needed to focus on. Personal development is just as important as your professional development, hand- in- hand.

Did I like working in an office? No, I felt like a trapped butterfly!
Ideas are hard to implement in an established organisation, I felt the frustration, when told to focus on the job in hand.
Constructive Criticism from co-workers was another area I felt, needed to be looked at. My background was tough, I needed to learn teamwork skills, how to articulate myself in a professional manner, how to bring the team with you….
Leadership Skills – This was the start of me wanting to learn from leaders. I often say, I had no confidence, but I brazenly walked up to the CEO of the charity and asked for an interview with her, she agreed. Subconsciously, I wanted to be a leader, to learn from others, and start my own charity, where I was free to fly like a butterfly.
Employability skills – Speaking on the telephone to people was tough. I found it tough to articulate myself, especially to business mentors, and other professionals who wanted to mentor with the charity. Over time my confidence grew, however, I included it in our pre-employment programme to help others overcome that fear before starting the job application process.

Personal Wellbeing – We do not often think about our own barriers to work, for me it was managing two children around full-time work, and hospital appointments. I was an unpaid carer, who moved straight into full time, paid work. I needed to figure out a decent routine, manage my money, my time, and of course, manage my work

around my child who had Marfan Syndrome. I also needed to look at building my self confidence and self-esteem. Long term unemployment can affect your mental health, motivation, and routine.

Why it’s important to share.

For anyone who is looking for work, it is important to build a professional relationship with your client. This will enable both parties to identify needs and match the client with a job they are likely to sustain in the long term. Since 2018, Choices For You has helped 98 people , including children from our youth arm of the charity (Choices For Youth). Sharing our own experiences, can often help others feel empowered to speak out and ask for help.

What can professionals do to support people into work?

Firstly, build a rapport with people, listen to them, and never dismiss their dreams (If they have any), identify their current situation and form a plan of action. People experience many barriers to work. The key to a successful outcome is being a good mentor, a good listener, and above all, someone who has empathy. Most people do not choose to spend their time as a benefit claimant, unfortunately, life has a habit of throwing people a curve ball. People from low socio-economic backgrounds, need robust support from professionals to guarantee success. (Please see recommendations, pg.)

For many years I was running away from who I was truly meant to be in life. Scared of my own voice, lacking education, not trusting others, working by myself, not feeling I was good enough for the workplace, emotional outbursts due to frustration, oh gosh, looking at this list, I am surprised, I made it this far. I may not be a polished CEO now; however, I still have time. I am very proud to have committed to starting Choices For You and writing our first social impact report. If I can achieve my dreams, so can many more who are currently unemployed in the UK. I could write examples of many people we have supported, but I felt for my first social impact report, I want to detail our start- up journey and the WHY behind the founder of Choices For You.

Everyone deserves a decent career plan, including those who are unemployed.

Finally, showing courage in the face of adversity has allowed me to live the life that was destined for me. Adversity is often acknowledged as being negative.

Misfortune
Bad Luck
Disaster
Heartbreak
Torture
Pain
Shock
Upset
Tragedy
Bad Times
Unemployed
Disabled
Unpaid Carer
Domestic Abuse Survivor
Child Abuse Survivor
Hell
Stroke of bad luck

As I conclude this report, I wanted to note, Choices For You saved me, the charity gave me hope, a future, and now I can help others to have the same.

Trust
Focus
Energy
Empower
Inspire
Belief
Success
Change
Value
Hope

We often wonder about the integrity and lived experience of people who choose to set up a charity to help others? Despite my own adversity, I never gave up hope of helping others in a similar position.

Positive Outcomes

Volunteering

Volunteering is a great way for the unemployed to acquire new skills, enhance their careers, make new friends, and advance in their chosen career path. It is essential for individuals who have been out of work for any period to connect with their community. Volunteering provides them with an opportunity to develop social skills, build relationships, and give back to society. Furthermore, it can enhance their resume and impress future employers. At Choices For You, we strongly believe in volunteering to kick-start your journey towards employment. If you are receiving benefits, volunteering can be a valuable way to participate in unpaid work, especially if you have childcare commitments. Volunteering can also bring a sense of fulfilment, boost your mood, and allow you to make a difference in other people's lives. We understand that crafting a CV can be daunting, particularly after being away from the workforce for an extended period. However, absences from work can be explained.

While many organizations may provide similar information, at Choices For You, we have firsthand experience with long-term unemployment and volunteering for the past 13 years. We believe that our experience can be beneficial to others, and we are happy to share it with you. Volunteering is a great way for anyone who would like to give back to their community around their personal commitments. Now, I appreciate we are in a cost-of-living crisis and people need to earn a wage, and volunteering is unpaid, now, hear me out.

My first volunteer role was with Citizens Advice Bureau, I applied online for a volunteer office administrator position. The location was ideal, as it was a few minutes’ walk from my home, which meant I could work around the children being at school, and I didn’t have to rely on public transport. I enjoyed my time within the role, attended events, met with the community, consoled those who were upset in the waiting room, filling, and other administration duties. The volunteer role also provided me evidence of work for my CV which I needed to build.

Now, why would you recommend volunteering to your clients? It provided me with a sense of community, I didn’t feel isolated, the experience improved my self-esteem and confidence, plus, I learnt new skills in the process. I felt a sense of achievement whilst volunteering and building my ‘barely there’ CV.

Education

At Choices For You, we strongly believe in promoting education among the people we work with. While some clients may not be academically inclined, they may possess excellent practical skills. However, I can only speak from my own experience while writing this social impact report. In my opinion, education is crucial to achieving success, and most people would like to learn if given the opportunity. Unfortunately, many people are not given such choices in life.

In this report, I aim to answer the following questions: what are the short-, medium-, and long-term benefits of education for those in the re-employment market? And does education help the unemployed secure employment?

I will use data from others to answer these questions, but I will also draw on my own experience to identify the factors that affect the chances of success for the unemployed. The model I have developed aims to determine which factors help the unemployed emerge and re-enter the workplace. The results show that education is crucial, and the ability of the unemployed individual to navigate the re-employment market is also essential.

Long-term unemployment can have devastating consequences for both the individual and the economy. The loss of income immediately affects consumer spending, but the effects of unemployment can also severely impact households. Households that experience unemployment are likely to cut spending, and those who lack financial education may turn to borrowing, leading to further problems. I speak from experience when I say that this can have a negative impact on the individual.

The psychological impact of unemployment can have a significant effect on the local economy, with increased use of NHS services. Financial education is essential, especially for those from low socio-economic backgrounds. Unfortunately, I was never taught the importance of finances, and my lack of education led to years of financial struggles.

Entering adult education can be daunting, but many people feel the same way. In my experience, I often met other adults who lacked confidence, especially in group discussions and feedback sessions. Public speaking is not everyone's forte, but I love it. I also have a passion for leadership and learned valuable skills in this area through group work at college.

While I have not passed a single GCSE at school, I did earn an NVQ 2 & 3 in Childcare and Education at the age of 19. During my unemployment, the barrier I encountered was my grammar and English language skills. I was embarrassed by my lack of education, and this feeling prevented me from pursuing a career.

It's important to remember that not everyone is academically inclined, and we must identify a person's strengths and weaknesses, and how they prefer to learn to develop an individual learning plan.

To support my belief in the importance of education, I have included my academic background below.

Education and Training:

The Open University: BA Honours Degree: Business Management and Leadership

Highbury College – Education and Training NVQ Level 3

Havant and Southdown’s College – NVQ 2 Understanding Nutrition and Health

Havant College : Level 2 Business and administration

Havant College: ITQ Level 1 and Level 2

Citizen Advice Bureau: Time Management – August 2013 online training

I realised that with my limited education, I needed to go back to school. Despite being older, the thought of adult education made me anxious. The people you work with may feel the same way, so it's important to offer reassurance and compassion. They may believe that because they failed in school as a child, they will fail again as adults. It's an uncomfortable feeling to restart education, but everyone who returns to education as an adult is in the same boat.

Education can be scary at first, but once people start to believe in their own capabilities, they become more confident students. I learned how to copy and paste when I was 29, and I knew, I needed to study an IT course to further develop my skills. I also attended a Level 2 Business and Administration course whilst at college as an adult student. This was years before I enrolled in a BA Honours Degree, but I subconsciously had an education plan.

To deliver my pre-employment programmes, I needed to enrol on a level 3 education and training course at the local college. I then decided to enrol with The Open University and study a BA Honours in Business Management and Leadership. Unfortunately, I experience another barrier to education, as an unpaid carer, I was only allowed to study a part time degree. The only university offering online degrees to suit my needs was The Open University. Please bear in mind, I enrolled in 2017, long before online learning became the new way to study due to Covid -19. My final plan was to build Choices For You alongside my part time, 6-year degree.

Work Experience

Why is work experience, at any age, so important?

During our childhood, we are often asked what we would like to be when we grow up. In year 10, I wrote a personal statement stating that I hoped to attend college to do a GNVQ in Leisure and Tourism and A Level Spanish. This was because in the future, I would like to work as an Air Hostess. I have chosen this career because I like to mix with different cultures. As you may have gathered, none of my work experience is related to being an air hostess. At age 34, I found a biological parent and realized my culture was a

British/Guyanese mix. I guess subconsciously, my own culture was the driving force behind my liking to mix with cultures.

Work experience is a valuable way for people to gain new skills, explore their job preference, and understand more regarding individual learning styles. It is vital for people of all ages to engage with work experience, during the lifetime. The benefits of work experience provide people with diverse employability skills, an insight into the workplace, and working with others, improves communication skills and optimises your CV. Work experience is a valuable opportunity to find the right job for you, and an opportunity for employers to provide a good employee experience which will mean lower turnover employee rates.

In this section, I will give you a few examples of work experience from a youth and adult. perspective.

Year 10 Student (Me)

Year 10 Community Service Placement

In Year 10 for community service, my placement was with an elderly lady who needed some company. I had to visit her once per week on a Tuesday afternoon, as she was on her own. It was very depressing to see someone on their own all the time, with no one to talk with. I felt as if I helped her. My responsibilities included talking to her and asking if she needed anything? My experience was quite necessary, as I am now working in a care home, delivering hot drinks and biscuits to the residents.

Charlene, aged 15.

Year 10 Student Work Experience Placement

Now, some of you may be old enough to remember Record of Achievements (Big, fancy, Leather Folders) back when schools had the money, Students would document their achievements at school. I remember not having a clue about what I wanted to do for my year 10 work experience placement. I wasn’t good at maths, guess what? I ended up spending my two-week work experience placement at Britania Building Society in Portsmouth. I had to do a health and safety test on my first day, apparently my computer skills improved dramatically according to me. Remember I only learned how to copy paste 23 years after this work experience placement. Apparently, I enjoyed the experience immensely…… My employer at the branch thought I was pleasant, but lacked enthusiasm and didn’t seem interested in some of the tasks set.

Charlene, aged 15.

Adult

At the age of 29, I was unemployed, I started my first work experience placement as an adult. In 2012, I joined a local mortgage broker in Portsmouth. I asked the owner for a three-month work placement to learn new skills in a new industry. Previously, I had worked as a qualified nursery nurse. I took the initiative to find this work experience opportunity, as the job coach was putting pressure on me to find a job, and the talk of sanctions terrified me. Moving from Income support to Job seekers allowance was intense, and I became frustrated, as I genuinely wanted to get back to work.

However, when my circumstances changed and I became unemployed, I decided to try something different. I remember my first morning, wondering what to wear. I could only

find a dress, and I was unsure if it was appropriate for the workplace. At that point, I was so excited and couldn't wait for a fresh challenge and hopefully a new start. I looked smart and professional and felt good inside. During my 3-month work placement, I paid for the travel out of my welfare benefit and learnt valuable skills such as Copy and Paste.

Now, as an adult, I remember someone asking me what I would like to do. For a long time, I couldn't answer.

So, do I believe work experience is valuable?

Definitely

Employment

Finally, after a long journey, I secured a job. Below is an excerpt from my CV during the challenging times of my life. After my experience as a volunteer, and going back into education as an adult student, I finally secured paid, full-time employment after 5 years of unemployment.

October 2015 – December 2016

The Prince’s Trust – Volunteer and Secondments Executive for Hampshire, Dorset, and IOW

I was employed by The Prince’s Trust for 13 months and my responsibilities included event management, recruitment, training, and management of a large cohort of 120 volunteers. I worked closely with colleagues across all programs to identify the need for volunteers and ensured that all opportunities were delivered according to their health and safety, safeguarding, and recruiting safety procedures. I maintained positive relationships with volunteers, colleagues, and delivery partners, including securing four mental health workshops delivered in Portsmouth and Southampton for volunteers.

This position cemented the idea to become a founder of my own charity.

For anyone going back into the workplace, after a spell of unemployment, it can be a daunting prospect. Being unemployed can be isolating, your confidence and esteem slowly erodes, you become out of routine, and you become more at risk of fearing work after having the welfare benefit “safety net” supporting you. Please do remember, being unemployed isn’t a holiday, it can bring many destructive cycles to a person’s life, addictions could be heightened, boredom and procrastination is upon us, which slowly kills our motivation levels.

After unemployment, there is a life, waiting for all of us.

From Long Term Unemployed to Charity Founder, District Councillor, BA Honours Degree in Business Management and Leadership Graduate.

How do we tackle long-term unemployment amongst low socio-economic groups?

We give them………...

CHOICES!

References

Carers UK, 2020, Carers Week 2020 Research report, CW_2020_Research_Report_WEB.pdf (carersuk.org) www.youngminds.org.uk www.gov.uk/carers-allowance Conservatives Manifesto 2019, www.conservatves.com htps://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/people/brave-group-share-domestc-abuse-andaddicton-survival-stories-mark-internatonal-womens-day-portsmouth-2292091 www.apprentceships.gov.uk

www.bhf.org.uk

www.choicesforyou.org

Bocken, N.M.P., Short, S.W, Rana, P. and Evans, S. (2014) ‘ A literature and practice review to develop sustainable business model archetypes’ , Journal of Cleaner Production, vol 65, pp. 42-56

Christensen, C.M. and Raynor, M.E. (2003) The Innovators’ Solution: Creating and Sustaining Successful Growth, Boston, Harvard Business School Press.

Acknowledgements

I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to the following individuals and organisations: My Children – You are my source of inspiration and motivation. Thank you for always being there for me and supporting me. You are both incredible.

My Friends – Thank you for standing by me through thick and thin. Your unwavering support has been invaluable, especially during the difficult times when I needed to keep going.

International Women’s Day Speakers from the community – Thank you for sharing your stories and being part of our International Women/ Men’s Day events.

My Mentors – Thank you for listening to me and guiding me to success. Your wisdom and encouragement have been instrumental in shaping my career. I could not have done it without you.

The Prince’s Trust – Thank you for providing me with a mentor, an opportunity to attend your self-employment course, allowing me to volunteer with you, and offering me a full-time job. I would also like to express my gratitude for inviting me to Buckingham Palace and believing in myself and other young people.

Citizens Advice Bureau – Thank you for providing me with my first volunteer opportunity in 2011 at your Leigh Park/Waterlooville offices.

Action Hampshire, The Conservative Party, The Bank Of England, The National Lottery, Rowlands Castle Association, Rowlands Castle Parish Council, Rowlands Castle Village Fair, Rowlands Castle Good Neighbours, Asda, Diocese Of Portsmouth, Stop Domestic Abuse, and Havant Borough Council – Thank you for your support and contributions. Your generosity has enabled me to pursue my dreams and make a positive impact in the community.

And finally, our wonderful Trustees and Volunteers,

Thank you from the bottom of my heart. You believed in me and the vision, from the beginning, and have continued to support my dream to build Choices For You to benefit the community.

Choices For You, Choices For Youth, Choices For Everyone

Many Thanks for reading our first social impact report.

2017 -2023

Charlene Jeanette Maines

Choices For You Charity (Reg. Charity No 1192611)

85 Portland Great Portland Street, London, W1W 7LT

07753351869 hello@choicesforyou.org charlene@choicesforyou.co.uk

Choices For You is a national registered charity. By a constitution dated Monday 15[th] June 2022, we added (I) PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT, AND BY ASSOCIATED PROGRAMME OF SUPPORT, TRAINING AND ACTIVITIES. TO ACT AS A RESOURCE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE UP TO THE AGE OF 25 BY PROVIDING ADVICE AND ASSISTANCE AND ORGANISING PROGRAMMES OF PHYSICAL, EDUCATIONAL AND OTHER ACTIVITIES AS A MEANS OF: A) ADVANCING IN LIFE AND HELPING YOUNG PEOPLE BY DEVELOPING THEIR SKILLS, CAPACITIES,AND CAPABILLITIES TO ENABLE THEM TO PARTICIPATE IN SOCIETY AS INTERDEPENDENT, MATURE, AND RESPONSIBLE INDIVIDUALS; B) ADVANCING EDUCATION C) RELIEVING UNEMPLOYMENT D) PROVIDING RECREATIONAL AND LEISURE TIME ACTIVITY IN THE INTERESTS OF SOCIAL WELFARE, FOR PEOPLE LIVING IN THE AREA OF BENEFIT WHO HAVE THE NEED BY REASON OF THEIR YOUTH, AGE, DISABILITY,ETHNICITY, POVERTY OR SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CIRCUMSTANCES WITH A VIEW TO IMPROVING THE CONDITIONS OF LIFE OF SUCH PERSONS.

Objects

The objects for the benefit of the public for Choices For You are: THE RELIEF OF UNEMPLOYMENT FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC IN SUCH WAYS AS MAY BE THOUGHT FIT, ASSISTING UNEMPLOYED BENEFICIARIES BY: (A) BY PROVIDING OR ASSISTING IN THE PROVISION OF EDUCATIONAL PRE EMPLOYMENT TRAINING SESSIONS, AND ALL NECESSARY SUPPORT DESIGNED TO ENABLE INDIVIDUALS TO BE SELF- SUFFICIENT, (B) TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO FIND EMPLOYMENT TO BENEFICIARIES WHO STRUGGLE TO FIND EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION OR TRAINING. (C) PROVIDING MENTORING, GUIDANCE AND ADVICE: (D) ALLEVIATING THE POSITION OF THOSE WHO REMAIN

Registered Charity No. 1192611

UNEMPLOYED, IN EACH CASE BUT WITHOUT LIMITATION (I) PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT, AND BY ASSOCIATED PROGRAMME OF SUPPORT, TRAINING AND ACTIVITIES. TO ACT AS A RESOURCE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE UP TO THE AGE OF 25 BY PROVIDING ADVICE AND ASSISTANCE AND ORGANISING PROGRAMMES OF PHYSICAL, EDUCATIONAL AND OTHER ACTIVITIES AS A MEANS OF: A) ADVANCING IN LIFE AND HELPING YOUNG PEOPLE BY DEVELOPING THEIR SKILLS, CAPACITIES,AND CAPABILLITIES TO ENABLE THEM TO PARTICIPATE IN SOCIETY AS INTERDEPENDENT, MATURE, AND RESPONSIBLE INDIVIDUALS; B) ADVANCING EDUCATION C) RELIEVING UNEMPLOYMENT D) PROVIDING RECREATIONAL AND LEISURE TIME ACTIVITY IN THE INTERESTS OF SOCIAL WELFARE, FOR PEOPLE LIVING IN THE AREA OF BENEFIT WHO HAVE THE NEED BY REASON OF THEIR YOUTH, AGE, DISABILITY,ETHNICITY, POVERTY OR SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CIRCUMSTANCES WITH A VIEW TO IMPROVING THE CONDITIONS OF LIFE OF SUCH PERSONS.

– Choices For You Income and Expenditure Financial Year End 31 August 2022

Accounts /Income 2023-2024 National Lottery Community Fund £10,000 Expenditure £4,482.69

Expenses £554.31 Marketing £1,500 Office Costs /supplies £1928.38 Insurance £200 Travel Costs for participants £ 300 Balance on 17[th] March 2023 £5,517.31

Registered Charity No. 1192611

Choices For You Charity (Reg. Charity No 1192611)

85 Portland Great Portland Street,

London, W1W 7LT

07753351869 youthteam@choicesforyou.co.uk

Choices For Youth is the youth arm of Choices For You charity. We are a registered national charity who aim to set up youth groups across the UK. The charity Commissions gave permission to add object to our constitution to work with those who are aged under 25 in June 2022. Our first group started in September 2022 in Rowlands Castle, East Hampshire. Home to our founder Charlene Maines, Rowlands Castle was an ideal location to pilot a youth group in the area.

Our youth group runs twice per week during school term time.

Secondary School Year Group 7-9

Date: Every Tuesday (1[st] session started on Tuesday 13[th] September 2022) Time: 6.30pm -8.30pm

Free to attend.

Registered Charity No. 1192611

Location: Rowlands Castle Parish Hall, 11 Links Lane, Rowlands Castle, Hampshire, PO9 6AD Contact: youthteam@choicesforyou.co.uk

Since September 2022 we have welcomed 49 children to our group and have received funding from the following organisations. The funding has been spent on indoor equipment, hall hire, DBS checks, 9-week healthy eating programme, Tuck shop, games, arts and crafts, outdoor equipment, furniture, utensils, cooking ingredients.

Expenditure for Choices For Youth 2022/2023 £2,681.45

Rowlands Castle Parish Council £250

Rowlands Castle Association £650 Rowlands Castle Village Fair £329.99 District Councillor Fund £951.46 Public donations £500

Total £2,681.45

Choices For Youth accounts information will be used in next year’s (June 2024) annual report and accounts for year ending 2023 and will be updated.

Signed on behalf of the Charity’s trustees.

C. Maines

Charlene Maines

Trustee/ Founder

Date: 12/06/2023

Registered Charity No. 1192611

2023-08-31-accounts

Social Impact Report

Tackling Long–Term Unemployment Amongst Low Socioeconomic Groups UK

Executive Summary

Contents Page

Charlene Maines

Positive Outcomes

About Choices For You

Passionate about ending isolation in all communities.

About Choices For Youth

Introduction and Background

Copyright© Choices For You 2023

. Developing a sustainable charity model

Social Entrepreneurial Innovation

Independent Funding

Our Short-, Medium-, and Long-term Plan (Financials)

Short-term plan

Medium-term Plan

Long term plan

Estimate the demand for Choices For You

2017 – 2023

Public Speaking Events – International Women’s Day

Entry to the event was FREE.

Positive Outcomes / Next Steps

We helped 24 people from 2018 -2020

Feedback

IWD Speaker

IWD Attendee

IWD Attendee

Public Speaking Events – International Men’s Day 2020

Adapt to Change – A Leader Within Us Programme

Introduction:

Adapt to Change Career Guide (Example)

How to use Choices For You career guide - You can use this guide either by working through it from start to finish or by using relevant sections as you need them

Actvites

You are in control and remember to make CHOICES FOR YOU

GOOD LUCK!!!!

Adapt to Change Programme - Delivery

Choices For You

Adapt to Change Programme

We have £2,442 in the bank.

Short Term Plan (1 year) September 2022 – September 2023

Medium Term Plan (2024 – 2028)

Long Term Plan (10 Years 2024 – 2034)

Healthy Eating Cook and Eat Youth Group Programme

Background and Overview

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Research

Cardiovascular Disease (CVD), Heart Disease, and Food

Diabetes and Food

www.diabetes.org.uk

Obesity and Food

Youth Groups and Schools

Carers Allowance – Change to terms to allow full-time degree study.

Our Government Policy Amendment

Policy Amendment

Carers Allowance – change to terms to allow full-time degree study Dave Thomsett and Charlene Maines (Choices For You Founder)

About:

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Who Cares?

What the Government said in 2016

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Times have changed.

Proposal

Why now?

What will it Cost?

What Carers Say

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Conclusion

Choices For You Recommendation

Job Centres

Everyone deserves a good employment advisor who knows exactly what they’re doing, regardless of their situation/ financial background.

1. The DWP should invest in modernizing the job centres across the country.

2. All security guards should be removed from the job centres to create a more welcoming and less intimidating environment.

3. Clients should be provided with a detailed pre-employment assessment to determine their specific needs.

5. All clients will receive a career diary and guide, and mentor support into employment.

6. Work coaches should be separate from benefits

Next Steps – We need YOUR help to scale up.