Autumn will soon give way to winter and the hyperactivity of the festive period, so now seems the perfect time to reflect on some encouraging achievements.

Rebuilding lives is at the heart of what Mustard Tree do, and we know that it takes a lot of hard work, from us and our clients, to achieve this. But we also know that we are part of a bigger picture, one step in a long journey that involves a lot of different organisations.

And it’s the collaboration between these local and national organisations that is the key to successfully tackling the causes and impact of homelessness .

That’s what an innovative scheme known as the Manchester Employment Task Group (METG) set out to do three years ago. Backed by Manchester City Council as an integral part of the local Homelessness Strategy, it brought together Mustard Tree, the Booth Centre and Business in the Community, who joined forces to provide unique support for both homeless people and those at risk of homelessness.

Since the scheme started, not only has it lead to 400 people finding employment and a further 730 benefiting from the training, education and volunteering opportunities provided. That’s a great accomplishment and one that we’re very proud to have played a role in!

We and the other members each provided different routes to employment:

• Business In The Community (BITC) has a Ready for Work programme that brings together employers and people with experience of homelessness through work placements and training, and supports them post-placement.
• The Booth Centre offers support to homeless people around Manchester through advice, education and training, as well as housing and a drop-in centre.
• Mustard Tree were involved through our Freedom Project, a 20-week volunteering programme that gives those on the path to employment a chance to get hands-on experience and build up relevant skills for future work by participating in the six main areas of our operation.

Adrian Nottingham, Mustard Tree CEO, commented: “We are delighted with the positive outcomes of this partnership which has provided a route into employment for the homeless and marginalised within the city. The partnership provides a range of complementary services, enabling clients to access the support they need to move towards employment. Our Ready for Work Club is a great example of this – run jointly by Mustard Tree and Business in the Community – and provides a hub for our clients to meet each week and access the mentoring, training and support they need to gain work.”

BITC wrote their own article about the partnership, which you can read through this link.