New skills deal (From Penarth Times)

New skills deal

PENARTH'S single mums and dads have the chance to gain the invaluable skills and experience they need for today's job market.

The New Deal team based at the Vale's Holm View Centre are currently working on a pre-vocational training scheme aimed at lone parents.

The latest initiative is aimed at helping those on their own, whose youngest child is aged over five years and three months.

It offers the 'First Stop' scheme during pregnancy and there is support from other organisations such as Social Services, Health Visitors, Chwarae Teg and Sure Start to ensure the health and welfare of children.

A spokesman told the Times: "The Living Skills project aims to support the lone parent by giving them the opportunity to investigate possible future career paths and to learn some of the skills they may require, not only for today's job market, but to give them a better quality of life.

"The New Deal projects can provide certificated training and 'hands on' experience in a variety of subjects, to acquire skills and develop new interests.

He added: "Lone parents can experience a diverse range of projects and training programmes, which will help give them the skills and confidence needed to enter the workforce when their family commitments allow, or to enroll for further training to develop new found skills and help to develop a greater awareness of their home environment."

A life skills programme will increase self confidence, build skills, achieve recognised units of credit, create and develop a professional interest to form the basis of a career which can be taken forward into a job or progressed under the New Deal for Lone Parents programme when eligible. It is anticipated that this programme will run each week. More importantly, it will offer the lone parent space to be something other than a mum or dad.