Over the course of the last three years, the GEM Project has been working with employers across Gloucestershire to provide work-based opportunities to participants.

During this time, it has been made clear that businesses have been able to reap a huge range of tangible business benefits from employing or providing an opportunity to participants who may have not been considered previously.

There have already been various employers across the county who have benefitted from embedding an inclusive workforce including Specsavers, Gloucester Services, Emma Willis, Coventry Building Society and Hubble Bubble Coffee House, which has positively impacted on each business; from tapping into a new pool of talent to reducing staff turnover and recruitment costs, increasing staff morale and better understanding their own customer base.

As a result, a new initiative has been developed, Inclusivity Works, with the ambition to support employers in recognising the real business benefits of being more inclusive in their workplace.

This campaign will provide a useful resource hub and support network for employers which contains relevant and engaging information to help and assist organisations in becoming more inclusive and how to tap into these business benefits.

Inclusivity Works will be officially launched at a special event on Tuesday 21st April at the Business School, University of Gloucestershire in which employers will be able to hear first-hand from Gloucestershire businesses as they share how becoming more inclusive has benefited their own business.

Lord Mark Price, former Managing Director of Waitrose and Deputy Chairman of the John Lewis Partnership will also be attending the event as keynote speaker to share his thoughts on leadership and inclusivity.

By sharing business experiences, Inclusivity Works aims to inspire more employers to work with us and with our support, take advantage of some fantastic, talented and motivated potential employees.

Join us as we work together to make Gloucestershire a beacon for inclusivity in the UK.

For more information about the campaign and to register your interest for the event, please email gemnikki@ggtrust.org

The GEM Project is a partnership involving more than 40 organisations across the county managed by Gloucestershire Gateway Trust on behalf of Gloucestershire County Council. It is jointly funded by the National Lottery Community Fund and European Social Fund. 

Our Navigator Developers truly are amazing people. Working with GEM participant's on a 1:1 basis, they offer personalised support to anyone signed up to the GEM Project to help them uncover their true career aspirations and move closer towards or into work. From self employment opportunities to simply building confidence to start a course, our Navigator Developers will work with our GEM's step by step to achieve their goals. 

Meet our Navigator Developer Daniel Gale who is based at our partner organisation GRCC. He recently supported a GEM participant and this is what he had to say about the support he received from Daniel. 

"I have been working with Daniel Gale through the GEM Project. He has given me the time, support and approach to help me progress my confidence and independence. 

I am hoping it will help build on the confidence he has given me to engage with the organisation, his approach made me feel like he was dealing with me and not my barriers in life. 

Daniel has supported a Blue badge application, a PIP re-assessment and home seekers in our time together. This is on top of building a business plan together, to help me take on my passion/training that I've always wanted to do, but never thought possible. 

I wanted to pass on my gratitude for all he has done." 

Sam - GEM Participant 

If you're struggling to find work and feel like you may need a bit of extra support to take your next steps, get in touch with the GEM team today on 01452 699741 or email gem@ggtrust.org 

Tim was referred to GEM as he was keen to get back into work but was struggling to do this by himself. He continually felt anxious and depressed, was socially isolated and felt a complete sense of worthlessness with his life, therefore knew he needed help to find employment.

After working with his Navigator Developer, it was suggested for him to get involved with the ‘Come Grow With Us’ allotment project in partnership with CCP to help improve his mental health and build his confidence again before entering the world of work.

“It’s great doing something that feels worthwhile, I didn’t realise how powerful it is getting back to earth. There are so many benefits to the allotment project; it helps me socially, meeting and interacting with people. We are all here for similar reasons, needing a little extra help and we all share a common understanding.

Before, I had an issue of having nothing to do, nothing worthwhile which doesn’t help when you feel really depressed, so by working together and sharing knowledge has really helped the “real root” of combating my social isolation. There is a real communal feeling at the allotment.”

Organised by CCP, the Come Grow With Us project is funded by the Postcode Lottery and is designed to help clients meet new people, reduce mental health issues and learn new skills under the supervision of an expert gardener through various volunteering opportunities on their allotments.

For more information about the project or to start volunteering at the allotment, get in touch with Sam Henson on sam.henson@ccp.org.uk

Sue Cunningham, Manager of GL Communities recently shared with the GEM team how the GEM Project has helped compliment the services GL Communities offers to their local residents.

“Everything we do is person centred; an individual comes to GL Communities and they are our core focus, placed in the middle of our organisation. We have four themed areas; wellbeing and social inclusion, advice and advocacy, community economic development and education and employability. GEM leads our employability thread and helps us to focus on how to really support GEM participants within our organisation.

GEM has had an amazing effect on us, it’s helped us to change our thinking as an organisation. It has been the seed which has grown everything else, providing a knock-on effect into lots of areas in GL Communities.

Working with GEM has enabled us to work with organisations with different specialisms, we may not be able to help someone who comes to us with a specific need but can tap into other GEM partners and their expertise to ensure the best experience for the individual.
GL Communities focuses on wellbeing and helping to grow our local people, providing opportunities for people whilst also offering different services and resources.

A recent GEM has just started her own yoga business and we are now working with her to provide “armchair” yoga to an over 65 group and a community yoga session for local residents. We have also supported her with links to other organisations in the area which we currently have to see if there are other opportunities for yoga to be taught. It’s all about working together! We have helped support her business, but she has also helped us to increase and develop our service offering, adding value to our organisation.  

GEM is definitely a tool – it provides resources that you can use. It’s about embracing what GEM is achieving and seeing the bigger picture; not only supporting GEM’s through 1:1 support during their time on the project, but after their journey to develop them further, which in turn can benefit your own organisation.”

Sunday 22nd September 2019 was world 'car-free' day, which encouraged motorists to give up their cars for a day.  It also promoted the use of mass transit, cycling and walking, and "the development of communities where jobs are closer to home".   However the reality for many is that there aren't jobs close to home - that may be due to living in a rural location, availability of vacancies or suitable skills. 

We know that many GEM participants do not have cars and rely heavily on public transport, and sometimes this can make jobs further away hard to get to.  The GEM Participants Council wanted to raise awareness of this, and to encourage those of us with a car to experience a working day without one.

We also support the NUS Green Impact Scheme, and are always looking for ways to reduce our impact on the environment. So on Tuesday 17th September, colleagues from the GEM team, including Navigator Developers joined our participants on public transport.  Here are some of their experiences...

"My watch is slow so what should have been a leisurely walk to the bus stop turned out to be a 5 minute trot! Puffing and panting I negotiate a price with the friendly bus driver a to take me to Gloucester Quays...£3.50 and no discount for cash. I can tell by the smile on his face he can tell I’m a novice.  

 Arrive on time, asked the driver for a selfie. Enjoyed this much more than I thought I would, less stress, no road rage and feeling relaxed....think I should do this more often."  Tony, Opportunity Hunter, GEM Project 

"To get to and from work, I take six buses a day which equates to just over two hours a day spent on a bus. To make sure I get to work on time, I have to leave the house at ten past seven, and most days I don't get home until quarter to seven in evening. That almost a full 12 hour day.

My first bus is at 07:16, which takes me from home into Cheltenham town centre. It gets into town at 07.28 which gives me just over five minutes to hot foot it through town from one bus stop to another, as my next bus is as 07.35. This second bus takes approximately 45 minutes to get into Gloucester City centre. If the bus gets in on time or slightly early, I can just make the 08.25 bus down to work. If I miss that 08.25 bus the next bus is the 08.40.

On any given day, how early or late I am to work depends on how the buses are running, as can adverse weather conditions.  There is also a cost factor that comes with getting a bus to work and back. It is cheaper than running a car and paying for petrol, but the weekly bus fare does mount up, and in the last two years, I have spent roughly £1,740 on bus fare. 

Travelling by bus isn't the quickest way to travel to work, but for me, it's the only way I can get to work without relying on lifts or having to cycle."  Seonaid, GEM Project Administrator

"I’m normally based in Cheltenham but I had a pre-booked meeting arranged in Gloucester so I had to look into various public transport options. After looking into both bus and train timetables I decided to travel by train as the timings and location of the train station better suited my family commitments that I had to undertake before starting work.

I found the train to be quick and quite relaxing, although it did mean that I had to carry out and plan my journey in advance rather than just hopping in the car and allow extra time just in case there were any train cancellations.

In terms of expense, I think it worked out about the same when taking into consideration parking costs. Overall i found the experience very positive and I’d be tempted to use the train more often." Tracy, Navigator Developer, GEM Project