Working Well: Support to Succeed: Helping Sarah Get Back on Track

• The Growth Company delivers the Working Well: Support to Succeed programme across Greater Manchester.
• The programme supports the region's economically inactive residents aged 19 and over into employment, with a dedicated offer for over-50s.
• Find out how it helped Sarah get her life back on track to support others experiencing similar situations.

Commissioned by Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) and funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, Working Well: Support to Succeed engages economically inactive Greater Manchester residents who are not currently accessing support or seeking employment. 

The programme includes dedicated support for residents over the age of 50 who are experiencing age-related challenges, such as concerns about returning to work and developing new skills.

Support to Succeed offers person-centred, one-to-one support, focusing on work experience, life skills, employability skills, and wellbeing.

It aims to help people like Sarah overcome complex barriers and achieve their goals. 

Sarah's Story

Sarah joined Support to Succeed earlier this year. She had been unemployed for several years after previously working as a hairdresser and was looking to get back into employment.

Sarah had struggled with addiction in the past and was on a healing journey after receiving support. She wanted to get her life back on track and help others who had experienced similar situations.

Working with her keyworker, Sarah explored the skills she had and the sort of jobs she could do. She had a CV building session and received interview coaching before looking at jobs available in the local area.

There was a vacancy as a Key Worker for the Support to Succeed programme that Sarah wanted to do but felt like she didn’t have the experience for. Sarah’s key worker encouraged her to apply anyway and highlight her transferrable skills.

Despite performing well at interview, the post was offered to another applicant. However this applicant turned the job down and it was offered to Sarah. Sarah was delighted to accept the role and started her new job soon after.

Since starting her role, Sarah has remained motivated and focussed to overcome any challenges she has faced. She has also been able to support participants in her local area and is delivering wellbeing walks and sessions to people who need them.

Getting this job has helped Sarah establish a good work/life balance and has improved her mental health. Her financial situation has also improved, alongside her skills, training and knowledge.

Find Out More

To find out how Working Well: Support to Succeed can help you, visit the programme's website. 

The Growth Company

The Growth Company is an award-winning social enterprise with a 30-year history of enabling growth, creating jobs, and improving lives.

We help people and businesses across the UK to develop, grow, and succeed through a range of employment, skills, and business support services. We provide employment, justice, and health services across Greater Manchester, the Liverpool City Region, Lancashire, Cheshire, and Yorkshire and Humber.

Contact us today to find out more. 

Working Well: Support to Succeed is funded by the UK government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. The city-region's allocation, managed by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) and delivered by The Growth Company, will provide support for up to 4,500 residents between January 2024 and March 2025.