Anchoring the Southend 2050 Ambition

Building on the success of the ABSS Work Skills programme, the ‘Anchoring the Southend 2050 Ambition’ pilot project will be delivered by Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust and Southend on Sea Borough Council, along with ABSS and other partners, to provide practical help to people living in ABSS wards, considering a career in the health care sector.

The money has been awarded by the Government’s UK Community Fund (UKCRF).  The aim of this funding is to support people and communities most in need across the UK by piloting programmes and new approaches at the local level.

Southend Hospital will be the focal point for the project.  The hospital will work closely with partners that include Southend-on-Sea Borough Council, South Essex Community Hub and Generation Medics as well as A Better Start Southend Work Skills to create new opportunities for local people to enter employment within the health sector.

Specifically, A Better Start Southend Work Skills will be providing practical help and support to parents and families of very young children who are considering a return to work, or who may recently have lost their jobs because of the pandemic.

This support is available to eligible people throughout Southend and will provide training, digital access and mentoring so that people can retrain or upskill. As always, we are determined to help remove any barriers that may be preventing people from taking up new opportunities.  This includes providing a creche during all training sessions.

This initiative is part of the wider Anchor Programme, supported by NHS England and the Health Foundation that aims to show how local hospitals can make their neighbourhoods healthier, happier and greener.