FAQs

No, your benefits won’t be affected.

You’ll be given one to one support from a dedicated Key Worker who will be your point of contact. Together you will create a personalised support programme to suit your needs such as mental health counselling, a financial MOT, digital skills training, advice and job search help.

You need to be 16 plus, living in Northumberland and not in work, education or training.

No, the programme is run through one to one appointments with your Key Worker either by phone, digitally online or face to face. You may also have appointments with other organisations we work with. We can help you to sign up to training and courses you can attend, but the Solid Foundations programme is not a course itself.

It is not mandatory, meaning you are not forced to take part in this project. It’s completely voluntary and free.

You will decide who you want your information shared with – this is within and outside of the partnership. All information about you is stored confidentially and securely on password protected systems and not shared with any other agency without your permission or in case of a safeguarding issue or criminal activity.

There is no set minimum, however we would expect your Key Worker to speak to you once a week.

Yes, attendance is flexible. However if appointments have been booked in, we would ask that you give your Key Worker notice to cancel so that someone else can have that appointment.

No. All travel expenses will be reimbursed. We would need to have a copy of the receipt so that we can reimburse you.

We can support you via telephone calls, text, email and video calls if you have the IT technology. If this is not good for you, we can arrange to meet in a place where you are comfortable. This could be a coffee shop, library or park.

For Solid Foundations to support you moving forward, we would expect to keep in touch with you on a weekly basis.

Yes, we understand everyone on the programme will be facing barriers or difficult personal circumstances that affect how much they can be involved. We have lots of experience in helping people with such issues and are very willing to help and support you.

Yes, we offer you support to help you manage your finances and we advise on housing and understand these are often major barriers to people getting into a job. We can’t promise we’ll ‘fix’ these problems, but we will do our best to help you sort them out.

No, you will be encouraged, supported and helped, but never pressured.

No, leaving the project will not affect your benefits.