The Springboard Charity help disadvantaged and unemployed people of all ages, backgrounds and walks of life to overcome their barriers to employment; Supporting these individuals to gain the skills, knowledge, confidence and experience to secure a career. Everyday we change people’s lives by giving them the tools to lift themselves out of poverty, realising their strengths and potential. We inspire people to look at the opportunity and variety of roles within the world of hospitality, leisure and tourism.

It’s no longer breaking news that these industries, its people and the charity sector have been hit hard economically this year and that the pandemic and lockdown have had a devastating impact on people’s lives. Unemployed people from disadvantaged backgrounds are relying on us now, more than ever before, to keep them engaged, motivated and able to access our crucial services. We need your support to continue delivering to our current trainees (over 2,000 of them!) and allow us to take on more people that need us, as the demand grows

Springboard leapt to action in response to the lockdown and quickly adapted our award-winning training, making over 40 modules accessible online, as well as placing emphasis on our resilience, confidence building and mindfulness modules. Our highly experienced team of specialist advisors also continued to offer 1-2-1 mentoring, careers information, advice and guidance via phonelines, messaging and email. We have been holding webinars, group workshops and discussion sessions, so that our trainees feel like they’re part of a team.

“I thought even if the lockdown ended, I would still have zero chance finding a job, being fairly new to the world of employment and not knowing how to put my best foot forward in applications.

Besides the obvious benefits of doing the training with Springboard, for example, that of gaining knowledge in areas that are key to the hospitality industry and which also look great on a CV, I got so much more than I expected. I got the chance to talk about my CV with an industry professional, who gave invaluable advice on how to tailor my CV to a specific position that I was going for.

Now I know that no matter the circumstances, at least my CV is in great shape and it makes me more confident about my job search, having eliminated that worry. I am also more confident about the prospects of doing an interview, because Springboard helped me identify my key strengths”

Adrienn, Edinburgh

Our dynamic programmes continue to be tailored to the individual needs of the person, ensuring that they get the most out of the experience and are ready for employment when they move on to work experience, a placement or a permanent job. We are working hard with our trainees to ensure that their skills are transferrable and that they can also secure work in other sectors, if necessary, and we have been broadening the businesses we work with to provide better access to job opportunities.

When the lockdown is over and our hospitality businesses have reopened, Springboard will be vital to help rebuild and heal the industry as we navigate our way through the ‘new normal’.

If you are able to, please donate to The Springboard Charity at this critical time and help us to change lives.