The Jericho Foundation
Registered Charity Number: 1037084
About the charity
At JERICHO we use enterprise to change lives. We do this by running a diverse range of social enterprises and social projects which create positive change in our communities.
Project name
Equiano Foundations (EF)
Project overview
EF will offer pre-employment skills and support to enable survivors of modern slavery (SOMS) to progress in their journey towards employment and reduce risk of re-exploitation. It will meet the skills gap of those not yet ready to access supported employment offered by our current Equiano project.
Many SOMS lack positive workplace experiences and the skills and resilience to function and contribute in a legitimate workplace. EF will offer weekly 1:1 and group Maths and English tuition, and support with life skills including workplace behaviour, rights, expectations and awareness of risks of re-exploitation. Monthly social activities will build friendship and inclusion. There will be opportunity for workplace visits, shadowing and taster days in Jericho’s own social enterprises, a safe space where staff are experienced in supporting the vulnerable. EF will increase skills, reduce fear, introduce positive work environments and provide reassurance that exploitation and control is not tolerated within a legitimate workplace.
The support of grants is absolutely crucial.
How the £50,000 grant will help
Modern slavery is a widespread greed-driven crime, robbing dignity, freedom and hope. The Global Slavery Index estimates 136,000 people are in slavery in the UK today and rescue is the beginning of a long journey of recovery. Developing our work with SOMS is central to our five-year business plan. We are experts in the field and we want to respond to the growing need for longer term, sustained support. The key focus of our existing working with SOMS offers legitimate work in a therapeutic environment as a conduit for a safer, independent future. We know there is a need for a pre-supported employment programme, which helps build education and skills for younger/more vulnerable SOMS who are further away from employability. A grant from Ecclesiastical will play a critical role in taking our work to the next level. EF will be a pilot, two years’ funding will help create an evidence base, measure impact and fully evaluate our work.
Quotation
“We are really thrilled to get an award of this size. I got the phone call just before we walked into a board meeting with our board of trustees, and it was great to know we have a really important project with funding ready to go. This grant gives us an opportunity to be able to test, pilot, try, develop, evolve the work we are doing and having the support of a funder who will get behind you and show their commitment to work that is desperately needed is just so hugely important.”
Katie Webb, Jericho Foundation
