CatZero is back in Scunthorpe after a four-year break.
During this, our tenth anniversary year, we have successfully completed the first of six new programmes in North Lincolnshire, which will see people supported to transform their lives and futures forever.
Deputy Council Leader Cllr Richard Hannigan, representatives from Jobcentre Plus and friends and relatives attended a celebration event for successful participants, held at the Baths Hall. And they heard some inspirational stories of how CatZero has helped this first new group of Scunthorpe individuals.
Sophie Linford, 21, from Scunthorpe told the audience: “I had no confidence or motivation to do anything. But I stand here now, talking to you all with so much more strength to believe in myself, to get things moving and back together and I can’t thank CatZero enough. The qualifications I have gained too, will be so helpful. Thanks for giving me so much more confidence and the courage to apply for University.”
Jordan Godwin, 21, also from Scunthorpe, who has now applied for cruise ship work, added: “I would recommend this to anyone, it will change your life around. I have done other programmes before, but nothing like this.”
The new Scunthorpe programmes, supported by the European-funded CLLD (Community Led Local Development), which is administered through North Lincolnshire Council, will see up to 14 unemployed people on each course – all with different issues and challenges that they need to overcome.
Our CatZero team takes individuals through a series of team-building activities, business support work, volunteering, CV compilation, mock interviews and personal one-to-ones. Together the 14 individuals on this first CLLD course achieved 142 certificates of achievement and qualifications, including food hygiene and health and safety, with a 95 per cent pass rate.
The participants also experienced an eight-day sail from the Humber to the Orkney Islands. On four-hour on and four-hour off shifts, they sailed the boat while carrying out all the on-board duties in an environment, free from peer pressure or outside influence.
The official programme also comes with further move-on and progression support – a factor that is part responsible for our programme retention rate of an excellent 96 per cent.
For our CatZero team it was a welcome return to Scunthorpe after a four-year-break. Programme manager Pete Tighe said: “We are delighted to be back here, working with a group of people who have wanted to be inspired, to move from the lives they have now to the lives they want. Well done Scunthorpe for rising to the challenge.”
To enquire about future CLLD programmes in Scunthorpe email [email protected]