1,100 people supported with job skills in Bradford fund’s first year
Four Bradford charities have helped more than 1,100 people improve their employability skills with funding from Yorkshire Building Society Charitable Foundation’s Building Bradford Skills Fund, launched a year ago. Of those supported, 77 have gone on to secure employment.
Bradford Central Foodbank, The Cellar Trust, Lower Grange Community Association and Smart Works received grants from the £1 million fund to tackle barriers to employment in some of Bradford’s most deprived wards over a three-year period. After just 12 months of delivery, the programmes are already demonstrating clear impact across the city.
The Cellar Trust, which supports people who experience mental health challenges, has assisted 63 people through its Pathways to Employment service in the first year. Providing one‑to‑one, peer‑led employment support from staff with lived experience, the service has helped 11 people secure employment, while others are progressing towards work at their own pace.
Lower Grange Community Association has engaged 465 people through its wide‑ranging employability programmes, workshops and support services. Focusing on areas such as English for speakers of other languages, digital skills, vocational training, entrepreneurship and youth employment, the charity is helping residents overcome barriers and build confidence and skills for the labour market.
Smart Works has supported over 147 women in Bradford during the year, providing career coaching, interview clothing and job success tools, and working with other organisations in the city. Using the funding to expand its local presence, Smart Works has helped 39 women move into employment, while many more are better prepared to access and sustain work. Alongside its core service, 266 women attended one of the charity’s 32 confidence-building workshops.
Bradford Central Foodbank has supported 436 people over the past year through its employability programme, which sits alongside its emergency food provision. Its funded job coach has continued to help clients with job searching, CV writing and applications, while volunteer training and accredited courses have strengthened routes into work. As a result, 27 people have moved into employment.
One success story is that of David who had to leave his previous job to care for a parent, and had become despondent and discouraged by his search for a new role. He attended Bradford Central Foodbank after being out of work for over 10 months, and received support from a job coach who helped him secure a new role.
David said: “The service has helped so much. People were so kind and encouraging, they gave me the boost I needed to try again for work. I now have a job and start on Monday. The Job coach even paid for the first month’s bus pass to get me to and from work.”
Linzi Morgan, Trustee of Yorkshire Building Society Charitable Foundation, said: “One year on, the Building Bradford Skills Fund is already delivering real, measurable impact for people across Bradford.
“Together, these four charities have engaged over 1,110 people and enabled 77 to secure employment, which is a powerful demonstration of how targeted, community‑led initiatives can change lives.
“Each organisation is addressing employability challenges in a way that reflects local needs, and we are proud to back their work as the programmes continue to develop over the next two years.”
Alex Digler, Centre Manager at Lower Grange Community Association said: “Thanks to the Building Bradford Skills Fund, we’ve been able to expand our reach and support hundreds of local residents over the past year. Whether it’s improving language skills, gaining digital confidence or exploring new career pathways, we’ve seen people take positive steps forward who may previously have felt excluded from the job market. This investment has strengthened our ability to open up opportunities and help individuals realise their potential.”
The Building Bradford Skills Fund was created to address specific skills and employment challenges in the district, supporting place‑based solutions that help people move closer to sustainable employment and brighter futures.
More information about the Building Bradford Skills Fund can be found here: www.ybs.co.uk/your-society/charitable-foundation.
