Like many organisations delivering learning during the coronavirus lockdown, PJ Arts Hub have taken to delivering their weekly arts based wellbeing sessions online.
In between Motivational Monday and Feel Good Friday sessions, PJ Arts Hub have guest speakers to motivate you on such things as gaining employment and skill development, to skills swap sessions to either learn new skills or share your own skills to help others.
Everyone needs a bit of encouragement and mental stimulation sometimes, and everyone is welcome to join the sessions.
We know lots of people’s circumstances have changed since lockdown. Many people have been placed on furlough schemes and others have been made unemployed or unable to work.
A range of support and advice options are available for people who have had a change in their employment circumstances.
Where to get help and advice
If you’re helping someone who is concerned or unsure about what support they (or their family) can access, please share this information and guidance.
BetterOff Kirklees
BetterOff provides information on benefits entitlement for people who live in Kirklees, as well as help with applying online. BetterOff also provides information on how to find and apply for jobs.
Our local Citizens Advice is still operating and can provide general advice. Citizens Advice also have specialist services for issues like benefits entitlement, debt, homelessness and employment.
Where someone’s employment circumstances have changed, they should inform all relevant organisations and services. This could be Government services such as HMRC and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), and Kirklees Council services such as Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction or the Local Welfare Provision (LWP) team. Not reporting these changes could result in benefit overpayments, which will need to be repaid.
By declaring any changes, people will be able to access the right support.
Not declaring a change in circumstances means potentially creating benefit overpayments. It could also mean missing out on Free School Meals, Universal Credit, support with Council Tax, rent or mortgage interest relief, and other financial support.
The best way to be sure is to encourage people to visit BetterOff Kirklees or our local Citizens Advice websites or helplines. This is where people can get help with working out what they are entitled to.
Sometimes we all need a boost of confidence or support to get us on the right track or back into work. Many of us might need this more than ever right now. It is great news then that Shape Lindley are running a back to employment programme for people aged 18 to 65.
It is FREE to attend and will be running over the summer from 27th July 2020.
Participants will have the opportunity to meet real employers through the programme, learn new skills and learn how to update and improve their CVs.
Worried that you won’t be able to attend because of childcare? Don’t be. Shape Lindley have an Ofsted registered provision for parents of Children under 5 to access and can provide a pick-up service from Town where necessary.
People who are experiencing issues with their tenancies or employment can get advice from Kirklees Citizens Advice & Law Centre, who currently have good capacity to support people.
Citizens Advice can offer general advice on all social welfare issues, delivered by staff who are working from home and who will need to call or email you back. This can be accessed in 3 ways:
