This report presents findings from a pilot project designed to bring ten people who have experienced homelessness into education, training and employment opportunities in social care.
Delivered in partnership by Inspirative Arts, our training arm Inspirative Development, and Derby YMCA, the project aimed to address issues in recruiting, caring for, and retaining social care staff; whilst also meeting the specific needs of homeless participants.
This innovative programme gave equal weight to building personal resilience, gaining knowledge, and applying skills. The unique mix of therapeutic intervention, training programme and supported work experience enabled people to address their underlying issues, regain a sense of agency, increase self-efficacy and improve self-regulation, whilst also gaining an accredited qualification; thus, developing the knowledge, skills and personal attributes needed to sustain effective employment in the social care sector (Department of Health, 2011).
