Building Bridges Awarded New Funding from The National Lottery Community Fund
Community First is pleased to announce that the Building Bridges Programme has been awarded grant funding from The National Lottery Community Fund, enabling continued support for programme participants in Swindon and Wiltshire until 2029.
For almost a decade, Building Bridges has delivered a trusted employability and education programme for local residents who face barriers to develop their skills, build confidence, engage with their communities, gain qualifications and move closer or into employment.
Grant funding from The National Lottery Community Fund ensures the programme can continue providing personalised support to individuals who are unemployed or economically inactive.
Building Bridges offers one‑to‑one person-centred employability support which mainly focuses on career and job‑search guidance and into work or education support. This includes skills exploration and personal strengths, identifying training and qualification opportunities, providing personalised careers advice and helping programme participants build a strong and effective job‑search toolkit.
In addition to employability support, the programme also helps participants build confidence, improve wellbeing, strengthen communication skills and develop motivation, helping them progress towards longer‑term education and employment aspirations at a pace that feels comfortable for them.
The Building Bridges Programme is open to people aged 16+ and who are currently unemployed or economically inactive. This may include those who are receiving benefits. Participants must live in Swindon or Wiltshire and have the legal right to remain and work in the UK. Please note the programme cannot work with anyone who is currently employed (in any capacity), in prison or on remand. Participants aged under 18 years need permission from a parent, carer or guardian to take part and be NEET (Not in Employment, Education or Training) or at risk of becoming NEET.
Since its launch in 2016, Building Bridges has worked with thousands of participants to overcome barriers and move closer to the world of work, education or skills training. The National Lottery Community Fund has been part of the Building Bridges story from the beginning and this continued funding marks an exciting new phase for the programme.
Building Bridges Programme Manager Dave Potts said:
“We are grateful to The National Lottery Community Fund for their ongoing support of Building Bridges. This vital funding will allow us to continue delivering high‑quality, person‑centred support for participants in Swindon and Wiltshire until 2029. We would also like to thank our dedicated team for the wonderful work they do to help people overcome their barriers to employment and education. We know this work really does change lives.”
For more information about Building Bridges or to make a referral, please visit: www.buildingbridgessw.org.uk, telephone 01380 732821 or email buildingbridges@communityfirst.org.uk