Grants for Individuals Jobs and Training Fund Applicant Guidance Notes

Version:

V0.4

Date issued:

24.11.2016

Author:

Hyde Charitable Trust

1 Jobs and Training Fund Grants

Jobs and Training Fund Guidance Notes for Applicants We hope that the following guidance will provide you with the relevant information you need to make a successful application for a grant from the Jobs and Training Fund. If you would like someone who speaks your community’s language to help you complete the application form, please contact us and we will do our best to put you in touch with someone who speaks your language and understands this fund. They will assist you in understanding the application form, which must be completed in English. We will also do our best to provide these guidance notes in alternative formats, for example large print, if requested. Please contact the Hyde Charitable Trust Grants Management team at Hyde plus on 020 8853 6246 or e-mail us at [email protected]

About Jobs and Training Fund Grants The Jobs and Training Fund is part of the Hyde Charitable Trust Grant Programme. The Hyde Charitable Trust (HCT) is a Company Limited by Guarantee, and a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales. HCT is governed by a Board of Trustees and it owns approximately £7m of investment assets, which generate around £300,000 in income every year for the Trust. Although HCT is a separate company from Hyde Housing Association (Hyde), it works closely with Hyde Plus – the expert Community Investment Team at Hyde, to help target its funds to the residents and communities who are most in need and invests money in programmes and services that have the most impact on the lives and futures of Hyde residents and communities. Jobs and Training Fund grants assist residents in reaching their employment goals. This grant covers the cost of items and activities that allow residents to progress towards employment, such as course fees, licences, equipment and clothing. This grant can only be accessed by referred Hyde residents working with the Hyde Plus Successful Tenancies Team or the Hyde Plus Love London Working Team. The Hyde Plus Successful Tenancies Team works with people in breach of their tenancy obligations who need advice and support; and carry out extensive case work with those who are at increased risk of tenancy failure. The Hyde Plus Love London Working Team is an in-house service that provides employment and training advice to residents in London Boroughs who are over the age of 16 and who are economically inactive (e.g. not in full-time or part-time employment).

Who is eligible to apply? You can apply if you are a Hyde resident, who is actively engaging with a Hyde Plus Successful Tenancies Adviser or a Hyde Plus Love London Working Employment Adviser. You should not currently be in rent arrears, but if you are in rent arrears, you must have a repayment plan in place that you are actively working towards. This will be checked as part of the application assessment process and decisions will be made on a case by case basis. If you agree with the following five statements then you are eligible to apply: 1. I am a Hyde resident named on a Hyde tenancy 2. I am not in rent arrears, or I am actively taking steps to reduce rent arrears on my account 3. I am currently working with a Hyde Plus Successful Tenancies Adviser or a Hyde Plus Love London Working Employment Adviser on a workrelated action plan 4. I have equipment or training needs relating to my work goals 5. I need up to £250 to support my activity (or a bit more in exceptional circumstances)

When to apply Applications for Jobs and Training Fund grants can be submitted all year round and applications are assessed frequently. It can take up to 4 weeks to hear a decision about your application; and if approved a further 2 – 4 weeks to process payment. It is best to apply well in advance of your training date or when you will need use of items or equipment. If you commit to anything before you’ve heard if your application has been approved you will be doing so at your own risk and we will not reimburse you for the cost.

Before You Start You will need to complete and submit an application form with any supporting documents. Once you are working on your application you will need various pieces of information, and you may find it useful to think about this before you start: • • • •

What do you want to do? Why do you want to do it? If it’s training, where will it take place and how far in advance do you need to book? If it is equipment you need, where will you buy it from? - Hyde Plus has some preferred suppliers you will need to use depending on the equipment you are buying

• •

How much will it cost? Who will help you do it?

Completing the Application Form You will need to complete this form with your Hyde Plus Successful Tenancies Adviser or Hyde Plus Love London Working Employment Adviser who will submit it on your behalf; and provide as much of the information as possible yourself. You will need to tell us how we can help you with your plans to get into work or find a better job. Let us know about anything that you feel may prevent you from achieving your plans, thinking about all the possibilities that you feel are stopping you at present. You will need to tell us how much funding you require and provide a breakdown with supporting information of these costs with your application. This could be a photocopy of a page from a college prospectus or something that shows the price of the item you’re requesting, or you can tell us where to find this online. Hyde Plus may have a preferred supplier for some items and you will need to use these suppliers when directed by your Adviser. If the total cost of your activity is more than you are requesting from the Fund Grant please tell us how you will be making up the difference. Please follow the guidelines throughout the form to help you complete the application.

How much can I apply for? You can apply for grants of up to £250 however; this can increase in exceptional circumstances with agreement of your Adviser. You may need to have a partial contribution available to continue the application process which you should discuss with your advisor before submitting the application form. There can be only one application per household in any 12 month period.

What can the grant money be spent on? You can spend the money on: • • •

Training courses or activities Equipment that directly relates to your work goals Travel expenses to a place of training or work

Examples of previous items bought with a Jobs and Training Fund Grant include: Construction Skills Certification cards, Barring Service Checks, Security Licences, and tools.

What can’t the money be spent on? You are not allowed to spend Jobs and Training Fund Grant on: • • • • • •

Childcare costs Medical expenses Activities or expenditure that happen or start before a grant is confirmed Activities that promote political or religious beliefs Purchase of alcohol or tobacco Any unlawful activity

How are the applications assessed? Each application is assessed and scored by Hyde Plus Advisers, Team Leaders (in some cases Team Managers); and the HCT Grants Management Team at Hyde Plus. Eligible applicants will be assessed based on the information provided in the application form and against the following criteria: 1. Eligibility of applicants and activities for funding as per guidance notes and application form. 2. Full information being provided as requested in the guidance notes and application form. 3. Evidence of progress towards work-related goals as a result of providing the grant. 4. Evidence that the applicant needs financial support to undertake the activity. 5. Evidence that other means of financial assistance, including any statutory provisions, have been explored and that a Jobs and Training Fund Grant is still required.

Who makes the final decision? Applications scored to a ‘Pass’ level will be recommended for approval. The Hyde Plus Employment Training Manager, Successful Tenancies Team Manager and Hyde Charitable Trust Manager make the final decision whether to grant funding or not.

Letting you know the outcome of your application Once your application has been assessed we will let you know the outcome by email, or letter. Whilst every effort is made to process applications quickly you should allow 4 weeks for processing. If you commit to anything before you’ve heard if your application has been approved you will be doing so at your own risk.

What happens if you are successful in being offered a grant? We will write to you offering you funding and send you a letter setting out the terms and conditions of the award. You will need to sign and return the Acceptance of Offer Form you are sent with the Grant Offer Letter as soon as possible. If you take more than 2 weeks from the date of the Grant Offer Letter your award offer may be withdrawn and you may have to begin the application process again.

What you need to do to receive the funding? You will be responsible for signing and returning the acceptance of grant letter which you will receive once the application has been approved. Should you be successful in your application, payment will be made directly to the supplier organisation’s bank account or directly to a Hyde-nominated supplier. You are obliged to inform us immediately of any discrepancies with your activity or item as soon as possible. This includes the delivery of any duplicate items that may have been delivered in error. Acceptance of duplicate items may be treated as theft.

What you need to do once your activity is finished We will ask you to provide some information about how the item or activity benefited you and what difference it made to your immediate situation. This monitoring information is essential so that we can continue to provide the Jobs and Training Fund grants to other residents. You will be contacted after you have received your item and asked to complete a short feedback survey. Where monitoring information is not provided (i.e. through the short feedback survey) we may not be able to consider any future applications from you to this, or any other Hyde Plus fund.

Declaration By submitting your application (via your Adviser) you agree to abide by the terms and conditions of the Jobs and Training Fund grant as they are set out in the application form and in these guidance and notes, and understand that any offer of a grant will be subject to your proposed work remaining within grant criteria. You also agree to provide feedback, for example photographs, case studies, surveys or audits related to this funding.

Help and further information For further information please contact the HCT Grants Administration Team at Hyde Plus on: Telephone number: 020 8853 6246 E-mail us at [email protected]