Project Evolve - Supporting Norfolk

In brief

Project Evolve is a programme to support individuals and SMEs in Norfolk through the current economic downturn and to help them into a stronger position as the economy recovers. This support will:

  • Aid individuals in identifying and developing relevant skills and career opportunities
  • Increase the prospects of a more rapid return to work
  • Prevent further redundancies and business closures through improved performance
  • Helping SMEs to be more innovative, efficient and successful in the future economy

Target groups

Project Evolve is specifically designed for:

  • unemployed/ underemployed recent graduates
  • middle managers / professionals who have been made redundant
  • middle managers / professionals who are at risk of redundancy
  • SMEs and specifically the owners / directors / senior managers
  • third sector organisations

These groups are targeted as there is limited or no specific provision currently available to them.

Benefits

Benefits to individuals participating include:

  • Increased skills particularly those skills considered important in the future economy
  • Increased employability with new skills, new experience, and C.V. enhancement
  • The opportunity to review their career and develop new opportunities

Benefits to SMEs and organisations include:

  • Increased business performance
  • Development of new opportunities, including increased knowledge of being successful in the low-carbon economy
  • Capacity building - fully utilising the skills of the current workforce

Location

This programme is for Norfolk and this is defined as:

  • Individuals living in Norfolk
  • Businesses and organisations based in Norfolk
  • Staff currently working for businesses in Norfolk

The bulk of the programme will be delivered at UEA, but we will offer occassional sessions at a range of venues in all districts of Norfolk. The initial funded phase of the project was delivered in partnership with City College Norwich and NUCA.

Programme activities

For individuals:

  • Individual skills diagnostic programmes to enable individuals to identify and highlight the skills they have and identify potential
  • Group coaching workshops
  • The opportunity to attend skills development courses in five key streams: carbon management; leadership & management; entrepreneurship creativity & innovation; service and customer orientation; advanced IT
  • The opportunity to gain significant work experience as an intern

For SMEs and organisations:

  • Business owners / directors to benefit from one-to-one business coaching to solve specific problems or to increase performance in general
  • To participate in skills/knowledge development programmes
  • Skilled resource to enable businesses to get a new or outstanding initiative off the ground

Programme Cost

Through the funding from the Higher Education Funding Council for England and local authorities, the initial phase of this programme was free to the user. The funded phase ended in September 2010 and there is now a small charge for taking part in our activities, but we have subsidised this as much as possible in order to keep them affordable for the Project Evolve membership. Our 1-day courses would normally cost in the region of £200-300 per place, for Evolve members the cost will be £59.