Education & Employment

Blackburn with Darwen has one of the highest levels of economic inactivity of the local authorities in the Lancashire area, 30.3% of people aged 16 to 64, which equates to around 27,500 economically inactive people in this age range. The level of economic inactivity in Blackburn with Darwen is consistent, having remained at or around this level for at least the last ten years.

Unemployment can have a huge impact on self-esteem and sometimes make you feel you have nothing to contribute to society. While discrimination and a lack of skills, experience and opportunity may be holding you back, we have found low confidence is the major barrier in our service users entering or re-entering the workplace, and this is what we aim to address first.

We run various courses, opportunities and programmes aimed to upskill members of the community to develop functional and employability skills to achieve work training skills. A range of activities are explored, addressing a variety of practical and emotional support to improve confidence and self-esteem. These include:

Guidance around health expectations in the workplace, such as pain management, fatigue issues and comfortable working environments
Practical support with CVs, job applications and interviews
Help with business plans, marketing strategies and publicity for clients who would like to become self-employed
Digital marketing and social media workshops
Flexible individual support and personal mentoring to help you access volunteering, work experience or employment opportunities
Access to adult education courses in subjects like literacy and maths
Benefits advice and advocacy for people balancing employment with a caring role

Our dedicated multilingual team of professional tutors offer the programmes in a group setting – both online and face to face, 1-1 tutor support and as individual learning. We offer individual support to learners who wish to develop functional skills in English, Maths & IT, and we welcome young people who may not have had a positive school experience. Our small group sizes and determination to provide you with individual support has contributed to our excellent progression levels. Over 75% of our learners move on to additional learning, employment, or voluntary work when they complete their time with us.

We offer work placements as well as group community projects within Positive Smiles for learners to gain valuable employability skills and make a positive contribution to the community.

Our courses and workshops benefit our learners through the range of support and flexible training provided to develop skills and progress quickly on to an apprenticeship, accredited course, or secure employment.

We work in conjunction with our specialist local services, ensuring we refer our clients to the appropriate agencies while fully supporting them throughout their experiences.

For information on the support we can offer email us at – info@positivesmiles.co.uk

Current projects

Future Digital Inclusion

Short course assisting learners to get online with free computer training. This is a great opportunity to learn new computer skills and increase knowledge on navigating around a computer and doing things online. The outbreak of COVID-19 has caused a significant disruption to the provision of learning, face-to-face groups, and education. This Basic IT skills course entails 3 weekly sessions in a safely distanced open space for learners to develop basic computer skills. Taking part with the weekly sessions will allow learners to connect with other beginners in a remote manner, accessing information and support in a flexible way. Once the learners are comfortable accessing the basics of a computer, individuals can continue their learning from the comfort of their own homes online. Tutor guidance and check ins through calls is available. Please note: Free tablets are available on a first come first serve basis to those eligible to the course, without any access to a laptop or smart phone.

Download a copy of our latest flyer here.

To register or find out more information, email us at info@positivesmiles.co.uk

Beyond the Classroom

Bringing you a free telephone befriending support service, delivering 1-1 multi-lingual weekly calls from a member of the team, operating for those who wish to make a new friend, have a conversation, or share a worry. Its important to remember that no matter what the pandemic has brought you, it is okay to feel anxious, worried, down, maybe even positive during these challenging times.

We have an experienced team operating in Blackburn with Darwen and Rochdale, who are available to talk regularly, as not having this support can become lonely, particularly in the current global pandemic.

Madat 24/7 is a free telephone friendship service, mainly for people aged 50 and over, though extending to other individual as required. We will match each person with a like-minded person from our pool of volunteers, who are keen to make a new friend and provide support. Not having someone to talk to regularly can be lonely, particularly in the current global pandemic, and these are people who have been used to sharing their home and time with others.

Positive Smiles aims to provide talking and listening therapies, registration onto courses and programs to enhance functional, wellbeing or employability skills accordingly, and making relevant referrals and signposting onto partnering agencies and other organisations for additional support. Weekly calls will assist individuals in developing healthy and positive coping strategies, boosting self confidence and self-esteem, promoting creating new hobbies and developing new skills despite the pandemic.

To register or find out more information, email us at info@positivesmiles.co.uk

Everyone Thrives Online

The demographics indicate Greater Manchester is highlighted as one of the areas with the highest levels of unemployment and training opportunities. Currently 11.3 million adults in the UK lack one or more of the basic digital skills, and 7.4 million of these have some skills but are considered limited users of the internet. Positive Smiles is supporting the delivery of a project by Get SET Academy, to help individuals who use the internet in a limited way gain the confidence and digital skills they need to ‘thrive online’ – becoming regular, confident, capable and safe users of digital technology. The ‘Everyone Thrives Online’ programme aims to help adults achieve positive life and work outcomes, particularly around employment, by supporting them to understand how digital skills can change their life, and give the practical skills and knowledge to build their confidence to do so.

To register or find out more information, email us at info@positivesmiles.co.uk

Make it Click

Currently, over 7 million people in the UK are online but not getting enough from the internet and aren’t improving their digital skills. Compared to people who are not online at all, they are more likely to be seeking work or in low-paid employment.

Make it Click is a new project aimed to support people who often don’t receive support or fall through the gaps. Positive Smiles is supporting Alphabet Training to deliver this programme to build confidence, help learn new skills, and support individuals to achieve positive employment outcomes.

Make it Click is for anyone who wishes to improve their digital skills. This may mean gaining more experience with using the internet or taking on a new challenge, like learning an app, improve skills you already have, and take a positive step forward in your work. Group deliver, remote learning and 1-1 support is available, with tutor guidance and check in appointments also.

Download a copy of our latest flyer here.

To register or find out more information, email us at info@positivesmiles.co.uk

IT for Beginners

Learn how to get online with free weekly online computer sessions specially designed free course for those who have little or no experience with computers & getting online.