‘Krystal’ had lost her way “with bills, my debt... my life in general”. Her situation was complicated. She was unemployed, a single parent, had multiple debts and an eviction notice from her housing association.
After taking part in a programme called New Horizons, Krystal now feels in control of her money, has started a job in a local café and signed a new contract with her housing association.
Over the past two years, the New Horizons programme has been helping a total of 300 men and women across Cambridgeshire to feel in control of their money, to get online and to get back into work. It’s the brainchild of a Cambridge-based housing association – CHS Group – and seven other partner organisations, including the University of Cambridge.
Lynne McAulay, New Horizons Project Manager at CHS Group, explains what prompted the initiative: “People who are furthest away from the job market often have really entrenched problems. They’re in dire straits... debt, disabilities… they’ve almost always been left behind by the digital world.
“We could see how a small amount of individualised coaching across a range of areas might get them back on track. There are services out there to help, but what makes this programme different is that we cover the three elements of money, digital and work at the same time. Digital skills in particular are a massive issue as Universal Credit is rolled out, given that the application process for benefits is online.”
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Reproduced courtesy of the University of Cambridge