Stockport extends funding for community-led employment support model

In Stockport, a programme taking a person-centred, community-led approach to unemployment has secured a second year of funding after showing real impact in its first year.

Delivered through local VCFSE organisations, who are already trusted in their communities, the programme focuses on working with individuals at their own pace, rather than expecting them to fit into a standard system.

It’s helping people who are often missed by traditional employment support, including those facing challenges around mental health, isolation, or caring responsibilities. Instead of focusing only on job outcomes, it starts with confidence, connection and building a sense of purpose.

Impact on Stockport residents from the first year has seen:

• A group of women who were experiencing low self-esteem and isolation, coming together to create and run a community café, building skills and confidence along the way

• Young people reframing their lived experience into strengths that employers can recognise

• Participants who have gone from volunteering to paid roles through the programme itself

Building on a strong first year, the funding will allow six local organisations to continue and expand their work supporting residents who face the biggest barriers to employment.

Funded through the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), via Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) and Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council (SMBC), and administered by Sector 3, the programme first ran from November 2025 to 31 March 2026.

Jo McGrath, CEO at Sector 3, and GM VCFSE Leadership Group member, said:

“The Trailblazer (Work & Skills Fund) has shown that progress happens when support is built around real lives.

VCFSE organisations are trusted and rooted in their communities. By bringing together local partners, employers and public services, this programme is not just changing individual outcomes, but also challenging how systems work.”

The extension of funding will give organisations the stability to support more participants and to deepen their impact.

Second-year funding will enable:

• Expansion of successful projects to reach more residents

• Stronger relationships between employers and community organisations

• More inclusive workplaces across Stockport