SUNDERLAND AFC’s official charity, Foundation of Light, is teaming up with housing association Livin to boost tenants' job prospects.

Through its Livin Futures employability service, the housing association has helped hundreds of people into a range of jobs, further education or training.

In the past year, its employability team helped more than 140 tenants find work and supported others to improve their skills, apply for jobs and prepare for interviews.

Livin aims to broaden its support to tenants with the help of community partner Foundation of Light, which it has previously worked with to deliver family programmes in schools and youth work in local communities.

The Foundation is one of the region's leading providers of employability programmes – delivering employability skills for nearly 800 people and enabling more than 400 people to gain qualifications across its many programmes.

Its new ‘better skills better chances’ project will deliver mentoring programmes for Livin tenants affected by redundancy; develop new links with employability partners; deliver practical solutions to help overcome barriers into employment and bring new innovation and re-skilling opportunities.

Working virtually at the moment and face-to-face in the future, the Foundation of Light will run new training courses in Livin's communities including certificates in work skills, digital skills, health and safety, manual handling, dementia care and teaching.

Courses can be tailored and changeable depending on the needs of tenants.

Graham Darby, strategic head of housing, said: “The coronavirus pandemic has had, and continues to have, a significant impact on our tenants and communities.

"With rising unemployment levels and much economic uncertainty, it is more important than ever to broaden our employability offer to help our tenants into jobs.”

Linda Hughes, head of skills for the Foundation of Light, said: “We are really excited to once again be partnering with Livin on this exciting programme.

"County Durham has one of the highest unemployment rates in the country, and Covid-19 has only exasperated that problem, especially for young people in the region.

“It is critical that we give this community the opportunity and support they need to re-engage with the labour market, so we can help them have a brighter future.”

For details and to register with Livin Futures visit livin.co.uk