Springboard 2016 - 2023 - The largest youth employment project in the Humber area…
Since 2016 HLC lead a hugely successful youth employment partnership project to help young people access learning or work through specialist support and training.
More than 5,700 young people were supported in Hull and the Humber since 2016 (which included the This-Ability specialist disability pathway); 2,300 of which were inactive or NEET from the start and 3,400 of those were originally unemployed.
Throughout the duration of the project, more than 20 partners helped deliver the Springboard and This-Ability programmes, that were part-financed by the European Union through the European Social Fund (ESF) and the National Lottery Community Fund.
HLC held this contract from April 2016 until December 2023.
The partnership provided one-to-one mentoring and dedicated keyworker support, along with a unique built-in mental health provision, employability skills, CV writing and job search, personal and social development, Maths and English, enterprise skills and self-employment support. Plus, opportunities to gain paid work experience through the innovative intermediate labour market scheme (ILM), including tasters in media, digital, creative and hospitality sectors.
Aimed at supporting 16–29-year-olds in Hull, who were unemployed or economically inactive, and 16–24-year-olds, who were unemployed or economically inactive and living in the East Riding, it provided progression pathways to Apprenticeships, Traineeships, as well as work and self-employment.
Springboard 'Thank You' Event - 29th November 2023
Springboard Newsletters
May 2023
June 2023
July 2023
September 2023
November 2023
Learner experiences
Learner feedback
Project images
Case studies
Kieren, Hull
“The staff have all been encouraging, respectful and helpful in any situation”
Kieren lives with Asperger Syndrome, and had lost confidence in dealing with social situations and become isolated. When Kieren approached DO IT, he wanted to work on his personal and social development. He also wanted to gain experience in illustration, his passion, to compliment his previous study.
Alongside giving him one-to-one support, we encouraged Kieren to start making art again. As he became more comfortable, Kieren began to engage with group activities and workshops. Within his first month with us, Kieren helped work on re-branding the Goodwin’s community café. This was not only great for his confidence but also helped him build his portfolio up.
Fostering Kieren’s talent, much of his work was displayed as part of a six-week exhibition at the Queen’s House Showcase. Making his own connections, he was invited to run his own workshops which he led with enthusiasm and high aptitude. Furthermore, he also gained his first commission for artwork used by the University. Kieran has also seized the opportunity to take on a placement at West Hull FM, which he will complete alongside his progression into further study.
Emalie, Hull
“Thank you all for a great
experience and I recommend to all who need help with socialising ,education or employment”
Emalie suffered from depression and anxiety following a difficult relationship breakdown. Also having Asperger Syndrome, her confidence was low and so she approached DO IT to improve her mental health. With a passion for animals, Emalie took a six-week placement at Oakwood Dog Rescue where she continues to volunteer as she enjoyed it so much.
During Emalie’s time on the project, she made friends and her confidence increased dramatically. She conducted market research for Parade ’94 café, presented her findings to the Trustees and served food for customers once it opened. These were all big steps for Emalie, and it was great to see her challenge her barriers to progression.
Since finding a purpose and a new career to focus on, Emalie’s mental health has improved considerably. The work she has done in the community whilst on the project led her to be one of the members who accepted an award for Outstanding Community Support in the Create to Change Awards Evening back in June.
Leah has always loved cleaning. From being a teenager, she would clean, not just her bedroom, but the whole house for her Mother. Leah started to earn pocket money for ironing; she would iron her Uncle’s army uniform when he was home on leave and did occasional cleaning for family friends for extra money but never thought of turning the idea into a business. Having tried various jobs working for others, Leah decided that being her own boss was the best way of providing for her family as well as being able to choose her own hours and fit work around family life.
Leah came to MC4C with her business idea, attending the Big 13 skills sessions 
and working with her personal business advisor to produce a business plan and develop her social media platforms. Her business plan was presented for approval and she was granted a Test Market Grant from the John Cracknell Youth Enterprise Bank (JCYEB) to help with the set-up of her business. Leah has grown in confidence since she started her journey with MC4C and she took a huge step out of her comfort zone during Global Entrepreneurship week by pitching her business idea to a room of 80 + people at The Hook Up Dinner Yorkshire (THUD), something she had never done before. Her bravery paid off as she was the winner of the best pitch, was awarded funding from the JCYEB and was grateful for the feedback and advice she received.
Leah was also part of the MC4C team taking part in a live link-up with young entrepreneurs in South Africa and has since appeared on Viking Radio.
Leah has already built up a regular client list of loyal customers and actively promotes her services on her Social Media platforms. Amongst other services, Amethyst Cleaning offers weekly or fortnightly cleans, cleaning of empty properties before and after tenancies and internal window cleaning. Leah offers a personal and bespoke service and meets every new client in person at their home. You can follow her or find out more on her Facebook page @amethystcleaningco
Springboard Humber - Let's Celebrate 2019
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