KEEP partners

During ther period May 2002-04, KEEP created an intermediary network of 15 Kent based organisations from the private, public and voluntary sectors.

These organisations worked together in order to ensure that a comprehensive service wasoffered to all those who need assistance with training and/or employment in Kent.

Where a service could not be provided by a KEEP partner, the project members also worked closely with other outside organisations e.g. Job Centre Plus, Shaw Trust, Housing Associations, who may be able to provide that service.

Below are listed the current partners of KEEP, with a brief description of who they are, their role in the KEEP project in Action 2 (May 2002-04) and the main contact in each organisation, with links to their websites where these are available.

Able to do Business Trust

Able to do Business Trust was established in 2001 in order to establish a partnership for the creation of new work opportunities and meaningful employment for people with disabilities and other disadvantaged groups across Kent.

The Trust is based at Boughton Mount, a 20-acre site on the outskirts of Maidstone.

During the lifetime of KEEP, the Trust will establish three new social enterprises in Kent with the aim of achieving Social Firm Status. These firms will be staffed primarily by people with disabilities, long term-unemployed, lone parents and other disadvantaged groups. The firms will be involved in commercially viable enterprises such as rural woodworking, the manufacture of garden furniture, catering, computer repair / refurbishment and ceramics.

The Trust will also provide a sales, marketing and accountancy support arm, to develop market capacity for social enterprises. It will train participants and employees in the financial, marketing and management skills necessary to enable such businesses to become fully viable commercial operations.

Contact: Ken Mackenzie, Project Manager
Location: Boughton Mount, Maidstone Location map

Beech Tree Totalcare

As an SME employer and trainer in the health & social care sector, Beech Tree Totalcare can provide employment opportunities, job training, and work experience within its own organisation and develop contacts with other providers and trainers in the health & social care sector to increase access to employment and decrease discrimination against a wide range of target groups, benefiting from and promoting best practice.

Contact: Elisabet Sigurdardottir
Location: Wesley Manse, Canterbury Location map

Blackthorn Trust

The Blackthorn Trust was founded in 1985 as a medical charity concerned with medical care, rehabilitation and social welfare of people suffering any serious or long term illness. The trust works with the NHS through Blackthorn Medical Centre and also has strong links with the community.

Blackthorn has a particular interest in patients suffering from cancer, ME, multiple sclerosis, intractable pain and all types of mental health problems. Full cooperation with the patient's own G.P. or specialist is vital for an effective outcome.

In addition to current services, the Trust has expanded its services to provide an innovative Primary Care Cancer Project and a comprehensive integrated project for people with Mental Health Problems called "Workways".

They are working with seven other KEEP partners to provide support to disadvantaged, unemployed people through the various steps that lead them into sustained employment. This group make co-ordinated contact with local employers in order to maximise the opportunities for work experience and job placement.

Contact: Charles Bicker
Website: http://www.blackthorn.org.uk/
Location: St. Andrews Road, Maidstone Location map

European Institute of Social Services (EISS)

The European Institute of Social Services (EISS) is part of the University of Kent at Canterbury and is one of the UK leaders in the conception, delivery and evaluation of international social care and health projects, which develop both social assistance services and combat the social exclusion of vulnerable groups. The Institute has a total of 14 core staff and three associate consultants.

The Institute combines academic expertise with UK social care practice experience. EISS has a strong and developing track record of social policy and practice development both in the EU and in the Accession countries of Central and Eastern Europe.

EISS has considerable experience in co-ordinating major European projects for its partners, including projects within the Interreg, Leonardo, Youth, and ESF EMPLOYMENT programmes. EISS has also published a guide to "Good practice in European Social Projects" (2000), evaluating the lessons learnt from a transnational project called Action for Inclusion (AFI) funded under the INTEGRA programme.

EISS is managing and coordinating the activities of KEEP, on behalf of the Lead Applicant, Kent County Council, as part of its existing close relationship with this organisation. EISS will provide the following support to the project:

1. Collation and submission of financial and beneficiary information
2. Management of the evaluation of KEEP
3. Research and information necessary to provide evidence of need and activity
4. Management of the transnational activities of KEEP, with partners in Italy and Greece
5. Publicity and dissemination for KEEP

Contact: Ben Gladstone/ Linda Taylor, EQUAL Projects Manager
Website: http://www.kent.ac.uk/eiss
Location: Keynes College, University of Kent at Canterbury Location map

Focus to Work Trust

Focus to Work Trust is a registered company with charitable objectives and is currently applying for charitable status.

Focus to Work Trust is an umbrella organisation that develops social enterprises to enable those disadvantaged in the labour market to access employment, training and support in an Intermediary Labour Market before seeking long term sustainable employment.

The aim is to provide these people with skills to enable them to achieve independence through meaningful employment that will provide renumeration to a level that exceeds benefits that they currently receive, thereby removing them from dependency on the state and to wage dependency.

Focus to Work is developing four social firms that will be interdependent on one another:

1. Constructiv- Construction/maintenance firm
2. Impressions- Café/restaurant/outside caterers
3. Focus Solutions-Employment Agency/ Training Company
4. Adept Accounting- an accountancy and financial administration service for the self employed

In addition, 'Focus Solutions', the consultancy arm of Focus to Work Trust will seek to increase the number of social enterprises in the project through developing links with local, regional and national agencies, capacity building, management support and fundraising.

Contact: Steve Ralf, Managing Director
Website: http://www.focustowork.co.uk
Location: 14, The Parade, Margate

Kent Association for the Blind

Established in 1920, the Kent Association for the Blind is the local Charity in Kent, Bromley and Bexley. Working in partnership with the Kent County Council, Medway and the London Boroughs of Bromley & Bexley the KAB provides services to 13,500 people who are registered as blind or partially sighted.

The KAB exists to offer support to people of any age and ability with failing sight, their family friends and careers. It can take time to adjust to changing circumstances. Experienced staff find ways to overcome the difficulties and encourage people to lead independent and full lives.

The KAB is an active partner within KEEP. The Association operates on a countywide basis and has three Training Centres in East, Mid and West Kent.

Experienced Rehab Workers are available in any part of Kent and Medway to help beneficiaries who are visually impaired. Anybody who has registration as blind or partially sighted or those not registered but with any sight difficulty may be referred. Support and Training in the following critical areas is available.

• Mobility
• Communication
• Daily Living Skills
• Low Vision Assessment
• IT Training for those who are visually impaired.

So far as Employers are concerned KAB are in a position to provide the following:-

• Environmental Assessments
• Advice on Adaptations of properties
• Awareness Training for members of Staff
• Advice on how Disability Discrimination Act affects employers of people with a visual impairment.

KAB can also provide Disability Awareness Training for key members of staff employed by partners within KEEP. The training will enable some clarity with regard to the above services offered and create a greater awareness of the way in which any beneficiary with a sight problem may be best accommodated within KEEP.

Contact: Les Ellis, Director
Website: http://www.kab.org.uk/
Locations: College Road, Maidstone Location map or London Road, Canterbury Location map

KCA UK

KCA helps people who are worried about their own or someone else's drinking or use of drugs.

The drugs might be prescribed drugs like tranquillisers or anti-depressants, or non-prescribed drugs - that is, illicit or "street" drugs.

KCA has centres throughout Kent and is committed to providing a range of high quality, accessible and flexible services to the community.

KCA services are open to all, regardless of race, gender, age, religion, political belief or sexual preference.

KCA's Day Programme offers a pathway into working life and facilitates access to education, training and employment opportunities.

KCA provide a support worker to support people with drug/alcohol problems who are attending KCA's Day Programme and to provide a link between the accommodation and the individual's life skills development package within the Day Programme setting. The life skills work will address individual problems with housing, benefits, debts, relationships and employability.

Contact: Pete Gates
Website: http://www.kca.org.uk/
Location: Dan House, Faversham

Kent Adult Careers Guidance (KACG)

KACG is the specialist careers information, advice and guidance service for adults in Kent. The service recently became a member of the Prospects Group.

There are three centres located in Canterbury, Gravesend and Tunbridge Wells, each with comprehensive and regularly updated careers resource libraries, computer aided guidance and information software. Services are also delivered regularly from a large number of outreach points throughout Kent.

Staff are highly qualified and specialists in working with adults and give help on all aspects of employment, training and learning. Services include one to one guidance with a professional Careers Adviser, psychometric testing, support in using a wide range of information resources and help with CV's and preparing for interviews.

As part of the Kent Guidance Consortium, KACG 's services can be accessed by beneficiaries of the KEEP project.

KACG is currently working with the "Lunchtakers" project co-ordinated by Oldborough Manor School and is providing the careers guidance input to this training programme.

Contact: MarlenaTopple
Location: High Street, Chatham Location map

Kent County Council Social Services

Kent County Council is the largest local authority in the Country, with a population of over 1.3 million. The Social Services Directorate is responsible for the provision of a wide range of services including the care of the elderly, the protection of children and families and assistance for adults with learning and physical disabilities, mental health problems and those who are drug/alcohol misusers. In addition, they work to ensure that adults are given advice and support to enter and maintain a course of training and/or education.

Kent Social Services has extensive experience of transnational work, including participation in the large EMPLOYMENT-Horizon and INTEGRA projects.

Kent County Council (KCC) as the lead applicant of KEEP will provide strategic management of this Development Partnership (DP). However, as part of its partnership with KCC, the European Institute of Social Services (EISS) will provide operational co-ordination and administration of the DP.

Contact: Brian Clacy, Policy Officer (External Funding)
Website: http://www.kent.gov.uk/ss
Location: County Hall, Maidstone Location map

Kent County Council Economic Development

KCC Economic Development covers the whole of Kent and provides the strategic economic strategy for Kent and seeks to establish the right economic environment to encourage and facilitate the private sector to invest in Kent and to create new jobs.

They will provide an additional link between the KEEP partnership and other initiatives that target employers, and with the policy process on economic regeneration for deprived groups and areas.

Contact: Jim Mckenzie
Website: http://www.kent.gov.uk
Location: County Hall, Maidstone Location map

Kenward Trust

Kenward Trust is an independent registered charity which operates a series of residential and day counselling services for the rehabilitation and long-term care of those with alcohol and other drug problems.

The Kenward Trust houses form a progression from first stage assessment and induction, through counselling, group work and rehabilitation processes, to supported second stage accommodation and assistance towards gaining independent, permanent accommodation where appropriate.

In each first stage house there are counselling and therapy staff whose principal task is to assist the resident to discover and confront those problems which led to dependency.

Kenward Trust are leading the development of an accredited, informal training programme provided to disadvantaged people who lack the skills, motivation and confidence and may be suffering from addiction or mental health problems. The programme will lead to the provision of a new qualification, developed in conjunction with the Open College Network.

Contact: Jean Park, Assistant Director
Website: http://www.kenwardtrust.org.uk
Location: Kenward, Yalding Location map

Kent Initiative on Drugs (KID)

Kent Initiative on Drugs (KID) is a multi-agency partnership consisting of all major statutory and voluntary agencies within Kent and is financially supported through the Single Regeneration Budget Challenge Fund.

The scheme is specifically aimed at combating drug misuse in specific priority areas in Kent through a number of projects. These projects aim to reduce the harmful effects of drug misuse on individuals and the community and contribute to the overall regeneration process in the priority areas.

KID provide a website with information on drugs and alcohol and with links to organisations that can help this client group. They will provide a link between the KEEP partners and other voluntary and statutory providers of drug services in Kent.

Contact: John Harmer, Business/Development Manager
Location: King Street, Maidstone Location map

Kent Supported Employment

Kent Supported Employment provides support to a variety of disadvantaged groups, helping people to gain, and be successful in, employment.

They are working with seven other KEEP partners to provide support to disadvantaged, unemployed individuals through the various steps that lead them into sustained employment. This group make coordinated contact with local employers in order to maximise the opportunities for work experience and job placement.

Contact: Kathy Melling
Website: http://www.kent.gov.uk
Location: Bishops Way, Maidstone Location map

MCCH Society LTD

MCCH Society Limited is a voluntary organisation with charitable status. They provide housing with care and support, together with educational, vocational and rehabilitative day services for people with disabilities or mental ill health.

MCCH works in partnership with nine housing associations, and is one of the preferred providers of ten health and local authorities. They have also been able to develop innovative partnerships with small independent carers' Trusts to provide housing with care and support for people who are profoundly disabled. They currently offer care, support and opportunities to well over 1000 people.

MCCH work with seven other KEEP partners to provide support disadvantaged, unemployed individuals through the various steps that lead them into sustained employment. This group make coordinated contact with local employers in order to maximise the opportunities for work experience and job placement.

Contact: Marion Periton
Website: http://www.mcch.co.uk/
Location: St Peters Street, Maidstone Location map

Oldborough Manor School

Oldborough Manor has established a training centre and delivery hubs to assist disadvantaged people gain skills and experience in order for them to enter employment.

In conjunction with Mid Kent College, Kent Adult Education Service, Vines Centre Trust, Kenward Trust and local employers, they provide a training course called "Lunchtakers". This 12-week course will focus on business skills and competencies and include IT skills training and job placement experience with local employers during the lunch time period, when employers have the most need for extra workers and when clients have fewer family commitments.

The main objective is to provide opportunities for clients to move forward, by building a confidence and skills base that will help to secure employment.

Contact: Gordon Brown or John Foster
Location: Boughton Lane, Maidstone Location map

Shepway Business Centre

Shepway Business Centre is a single point of contact for a wide range of business support services. It brings together three established key local organisations:

• Shepway Chamber of Commerce & Industry

• Shepway Enterprise Agency

• South Kent Education Business Partnership

Shepway Business Centre work across Shepway, Ashford and Dover Districts with seven other KEEP partners to provide support for disadvantaged, unemployed individuals through the various steps that lead them into sustained employment. Through the local Employment Coordinator based within SBC this group make contact with local employers in order to maximise the opportunities for work experience and job placement.

SBC's specific role is employer coordination i.e. overcoming prejudice/barriers of employers towards client groups and matching of their requirements to the skills and abilities of KEEP beneficiaries.

Contact: Peter Hobbs, Chief Executive
Website: http://www.shepwaybc.co.uk/
Location: Shearway Road, Folkestone Location map

Vines Centre Trust

The Vines Centre Trust is a dynamic charity determined to address the needs of the disadvantaged in new and unconventional ways.
Established in 1998 it was a response to a desire by a church to become more involved in community action. Since then it has grown rapidly into a significant and effective "community regeneration body" serving a range of needs across the locality and beyond.

The Trust has successfully developed several recycling and re-use projects which act as the foundation for skills training, personal development and work experience projects for the beneficiaries it serves.

The Trust is active in supporting the wider community - it has established five UK Online centres, each set in the premises of a small community organisation working in a deprived area. By providing oversight and technical support the community groups are able to focus on attracting and servicing their client groups. Vines Centre Trust works with Oldborough Manor School to provide the IT training as part of the "Lunchtakers" training programme.

Contact: Peter Southcombe, Director
Website: http://www.vinescentre.org.uk

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