A new project to help people improve their financial skills and get them back into work has received a £400,000 European funding boost through the East of England Development Agency (EEDA) today.
The project will particularly target people who are out of work. It will also signpost them to job search and other employment support.
The East of England Financial Capability and Inclusion Project will be led by Citizens Advice and is funded through EEDA’s European Social Fund (ESF) programme.
Available throughout 2010, sessions will assist at least 800 individuals who face barriers to getting back into the workplace. The project will also train 400 front line workers so they can assist their clients with budgeting and point people to where they can get help dealing with debt.
Sessions will be delivered in targeted areas across the region by a range of providers including Housing Associations, Credit Unions and Citizens Advice Bureaux. Sessions aim to boost individuals’ confidence in managing their money and their chances of getting into paid employment.
Sheila Childerhouse, EEDA board member and deputy chair, said: “Skills and attitudes towards money management are important in every aspect of people’s lives