Believe Housing funds County Durham project helping people into work

Employability support: A community drop-in session held by Hiyed CIC, which has secured funding from housing association believe housing for a second year.

A County Durham-based housing association has renewed its support for an employability project after it helped hundreds of people move closer to work. believe housing has awarded a £10,000 grant to Hiyed CIC to continue supporting jobseekers across the south-west of the county, following the project’s success last year.

The funding has been awarded through believe housing’s community investment programme, using social value funding generated through its work with fire safety company Isoler and procurement partner Prosper.

believe housing first supported Hiyed, a community interest company, last year with a £10,000 community development grant.

That funding supported the organisation’s work in Bishop Auckland and surrounding areas, particularly in hard-to-reach rural and disadvantaged communities including Billy Row, Crook, Hunwick, West Auckland, Tindale Crescent, Leeholme and St Helen’s.

Hiyed was able to create two new local job coach roles, offering tailored one-to-one help for people facing barriers to work. This included people with physical and mental health needs, learning disabilities or difficulties, and those who are neurodivergent.

After exceeding its targets last year, by supporting more than 1,000 jobseekers and helping 170 people move into employment, volunteering, apprenticeships or training, believe housing chose to support the project again.

The renewed funding will help Hiyed build on this success and continue delivering positive outcomes for people and communities. Planned activity includes around 200 outreach drop-in sessions, tailored one-to-one support, and a programme of wellbeing events.

Damian Pearson, Community Investment Team Leader at believe housing, said: “Last year the project supported 175 of our customers through drop-in sessions, provided one-to-one help to 60 people, and helped 54 progress into employment, volunteering, apprenticeships or training.

“Seeing the confidence, improved wellbeing and new opportunities this creates for our customers, and the positive difference it makes locally, is why we were pleased to support the initiative again and help more people build financial resilience, stability and dignity.”

Tracy Fee, CEO and Founder of Hiyed CIC, said: “The support from believe housing is so valuable; to allow us to continue the work we do at Hiyed and reach more people with our services.

“Last year’s support created a huge social impact, and we are thrilled to have the ongoing support to continue this work.

“As a social enterprise, any support is so useful, but to have the recurrent funding is a huge boost for the team too, in demonstrating commitment to the difference they make in people’s lives.

“We hope more people will take up this opportunity this year.”