Member Article

Mental health charity 'moving on' to Hoults Yard

A MENTAL health charity working to help people get closer to employment has moved into a new office in Newcastle.

Mental Health Concern leads the Moving On Tyne & Wear (MOTW) programme, and is supported by eight other partner organisations across the region. The MOTW programme management team has moved into a new office at Hoults Yard, Byker.

MOTW has a team of experienced Navigators working with people with physical or mental health issues, learning difficulties, autism or who are neuro-divergent and find it difficult to find employment. The Navigators work with people on an individual basis to give them the bespoke support and advice they need in order to help them get closer to employment.

Clients are supported and encouraged to access the help needed to address their physical or mental health issues, boosting self-esteem and allowing them to enter volunteering, job, or training opportunities with increased confidence.

Six members of staff will be based in the new Hoults Yard office, responsible for the overall operational management and successful delivery of the MOTW programme.

MOTW is joint funded by the European Social Fund and The National Lottery Community Fund, as part of the Building Better Opportunities programme. This nationwide initiative invests in local projects that tackle the root causes of poverty and promote social inclusion.

Funding for MOTW concludes next year, so the programme is now closed to new participants, though it continues to work with current clients.

Jess Mundy, Quality and Performance Manager at MOTW, explained: “We help people overcome barriers to employment, so we can help with CVs, improve interview skills, build people’s confidence, help them access English and maths qualifications, and generally help prepare them for the world of work.

“We also help educate employers about how they can support employees with learning difficulties, autism or who are neurodivergent.

“We looked at a few options for our new base, as the team wanted to work in a more central area, with easy travel options to other teams and hot-desking available in our office for Navigators. We all liked the office space available and the Hoults Yard vibe, so this seemed like the perfect choice.”

MOTW was launched in 2017 and has since worked with more than 3,200 clients and more than 170 employers in an area stretching from Sunderland to North Tyneside. MOTW has delivery teams in Gateshead, Newcastle, Sunderland, South Tyneside and North Tyneside.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Hoults Yard .