Housing Association Provides Support Against Generational Unemployment

A donation of grant funding from a North East housing provider will be looking to reinforce the fight against widespread unemployment in Sunderland and surrounding areas.

Three13 is expanding its practical training in hospitality and carpentry following a £10,000 grant from Bernicia’s charitable arm The Bernicia Foundation.

Based in Hendon, Sunderland, the funding will provide hands-on learning for residents facing complex barriers to employment, helping them rebuild confidence and develop skills for long-term careers.

A recent government report highlighted the concerning NEET (Not in further Employment, Education or Training) crisis affecting young people in the UK, with figures reaching the highest seen in 12 years. As the economic and financial stressors in the UK continue to increase, young people are encountering significant barriers into the world of work and further qualifications, something with serious implications for their prospects of home ownership.

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Three13 operates across Teesside and Tyne and Wear, and over the past year, the charity supported 200 learners, with many individuals securing multiple certificates to clock up an impressive 276 recognised, trade-specific vocational qualifications through its tailored workplace environment.

The strategically-positioned Hendon hub acts as a crucial launch pad in an area with the lowest average income and highest crime rate of all SR postcodes. The Sunderland site alone supported 60 learners last year through specialised practical workshops.

The Bernicia funding has enabled Three13 to run extra advanced multi-skills courses throughout May and June, creating 11 extra places for learners.

The ten-day courses put skills directly into action through community-based projects, including painting and decorating at Hope Vineyard Church and building benches for a park in Hendon. The next cohort will carry out community work supporting the refurbishment of a double-decker bus for a Washington-based project.

The Bernicia grant is also contributing towards a new full-time tutor John Miller. A former secondary school teacher with 30 years’ experience, John recently led the successful Trailblazer pilot scheme for the North East Mayoral Strategic Authority, helping eight adult learners gain qualifications and plan their careers, with three already securing employment.

John said: “Having spent three decades teaching design technology in schools, I know first hand how easily people can be left behind by standard education. For many of our learners, the biggest barrier isn’t a lack of skill, but a lack of self-worth.

“To now be working with some of the exact same people I taught years ago, helping them rebuild that self-belief as adults, is amazing. This grant has allowed me to start full-time after a year of working from the sidelines with a passion to do more. Now, we can truly walk with these individuals until they are ready to step into employment.”

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Craig, learner at Three13, said: “When I first came to Three13, I wasn’t in the best space. But as soon as I walked through the door, I noticed a massive difference – they care about you on a truly personal level, not just as a learner.

“John and the team walked alongside me, listened to me, and helped me totally turn my life around. I owe so much to them; they believed in my worth when others didn’t.”

The construction industry in particular has a major part to play in turning back the NEET crisis. Construction in particular has seen steadily declining rates of new talent entering the workforce, resulting in a steadily aging talent pool that is now beginning to retire and dampen the UK’s housebuilding and construction capacity.

Jenny Allinson, Director at The Bernicia Foundation, said: “Bernicia is dedicated to supporting the communities where our tenants live, which is why we’re proud to back the vital work Three13 is delivering.

“Their hubs are anchoring real change, giving people the practical tools to transform their lives. This partnership perfectly mirrors our values of supporting opportunity.”

 

 

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