Building Bridges and Inspire Swindon Programmes
Helping people overcome their barriers to employment and education, across Swindon and Wiltshire.
Community First delivers programmes which offer a holistic service which provides personalised support to people with significant barriers and challenges to help them build their independence and move towards education and employment outcomes.
For further information on our eligibility criteria, the support we provide and how to make referrals please see below.
For information about the impact delivered by our previous Building Bridges programme from 2016-2023 please visit our impact page.
Programmes
Building Bridges Swindon
Support for people aged 18+ in Swindon.
The programme supports people aged 18+ (no upper age limit) who want to move towards sustained education or employment goals.
Funded by The National Lottery Community Fund through to the end of 2025.
Building Bridges Wiltshire (Referrals Temporarily Paused)
Support for people aged 16+ in Wiltshire.
The programme supports people aged 16+ (no upper age limit) who want to move towards sustained education or employment goals.
If you are under 18, you will need to be Not in Employment, Education or Training (NEET) or at risk of becoming NEET to take part.
Please note, referrals for Building Bridges Wiltshire are temporarily paused.
Inspire Swindon (Closed to New Referrals)
Support for people aged 15-25 in Swindon.
We can work with you if you are aged 15-18 and at risk of becoming NEET, are NEET or are engaging with Swindon Youth Justice Service. We can work with you if you are aged 19-25, if you are care experienced or have an EHCP.
Please note referrals for Inspire Swindon are currently closed.
Programme Referrals
People can refer themselves to the programme or make a referral on behalf of someone else they are supporting (with their permission).
People can refer themselves to the programme or make a referral on behalf of someone else they are supporting (with their permission).
Please note that for young people under 18, we need the permission of their parent, carer or guardian in order to accept the referral.
Eligibility
All participants on our programmes must have the legal right to work in the UK and be resident in Swindon or Wiltshire.
Our employability programmes can support people who are:
Economically inactive
Unemployed (but not on DWP employability programmes)
Employed but facing barriers to sustaining employment
On probation
Registered refugees
For programmes that support young people under 18, participants need to be at risk of becoming NEET, be NEET or be engaging with the Youth Justice Service.
Unfortunately, we cannot support asylum seekers or people who are remanded in custody or in prison.
Make a Referral
Make a referral for yourself or on behalf of someone else you are supporting with their permission, using our online referral form,
Programme Support
Information about the support on offer for participants
Each participant is assigned to a Support Worker who works closely with them to ensure strong, consistent support throughout their time on programme:
Understanding their life situation and challenges
Developing and helping to implement personalised action plans and goal-setting
Providing support to sustain outcomes
Assisting participants when engaging with other external services and support
We are happy to integrate with any existing support that participants already have in place and build this into their action plans and activities with us.
The programmes provide a wide range of support based on each individual’s needs:
Access to self-confidence building courses
Access to volunteering and work experience activities
Access to debt and benefit advice
Support with travel training
Access to one to one counselling, anxiety and mental health support
Support in applying for employment, developing CVs, job search skills and interview skills
Support in applying to college and other education courses
We can provide ongoing support to participants for up to three months from the start of their education or employment, to help them sustain their outcome.
Through our links with the Multiply Programme, we can also help participants aged 19+ to develop their functional maths skills and move on to more formal maths qualifications.
For more information, please contact the Building Bridges and Inspire Swindon Programmes team by telephone: 01380 732821 or email: hello@buildingbridgessw.org.uk
Programme News
Referrals for the Building Bridges Programme in Wiltshire are temporarily paused. We are still accepting referrals for the Building Bridges Swindon programme and via the Wiltshire Housing Support and Rough Sleeper Team.
It has 100% changed my life – I recommend it to anyone. It has boosted my self-confidence more than I thought possible.
The programme really helped me take the next step to get back into work.
