Renewal cash allows new pioneers to grow
ROCHDALE’S groundbreaking New Pioneers Programme can continue and expand into new areas after a successful bid for funding from the Government’s Community Renewal Fund.
Thanks to the new grant funding of £279,991, secured by the joint efforts of RBH, Rochdale Borough Council and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, the programme will be able to continue to support residents in central Rochdale as well as create a fresh New Pioneer community in Heywood.
The programme is a pioneering partnership between RBH and Rochdale Borough Council, providing tailored support and mentoring to local residents in College Bank and Lower Falinge to enable them to meet their aspirations through access to new or improved employment as well as training and skills development.
The programme was initially commissioned as part of RBH’S peoplefocused approach to regeneration in Rochdale town centre.
Dozens of residents in central Rochdale have already seen the benefits of the programme’s support - including securing basic skills qualifications, new employment, and even advanced qualifications such as final teacher training.
Clare Tostevin, RBH Director of Growth, said: “We are immensely proud of the achievements of our New Pioneers - from new qualifications and career changes to residents who are back in employment for the first time in over a decade. It is a real demonstration of how our regeneration plans are about the people who live in central Rochdale, not about bricks and mortar.
“I’m really excited that we can now expand the programme in College Bank and Lower Falinge, as well as start a conversation with residents in Heywood about how this approach can benefit their communities too.” Coun John Blundell, cabinet member for economy at Rochdale Borough Council, said: “Our economic strategy for the borough is about much more than creating new buildings and developments and boosting our heritage, it’s about generating jobs and opportunities for our residents, and most importantly, giving them the tools they need to access those opportunities.
“That’s why projects like the New Pioneers Programme, which we’re supporting as part of our wider work and skills strategy for the borough, are so vital. It’s great news that this important scheme will continue and expand and I’m pleased that even more residents across the borough will now be able to benefit from it.”