Newcastle College has marked the milestone of helping over 1,300 people in Newcastle, Northumberland and North Tyneside to transform their lives and overcome personal barriers to employment through the continued success of the Open Doors: Beyond Barriers project.
Now in its second year, the Open Doors: Beyond Barriers project is designed to help individuals facing significant career obstacles, such as physical or mental health challenges, homelessness and skills gaps find a pathway into employment. It reaches hundreds of people from underrepresented groups, including young people not in education or training, to refugees and asylum seekers, and those aged 50+ and struggling to find work.
Through the project, Newcastle College provides essential support such as industry-led CV writing, developing new transferable skills, building their network and increasing their confidence levels.
As the lead partner, Newcastle College works closely with key organisations to deliver the initiative, including Newcastle United Foundation, Winnovation, Education Partnerships North East, the King’s Trust, Children North East, Groundwork North East and Cumbria and The Key.
One person positively impacted by the Open Doors: Beyond Barriers project this year is Helen Ewen, who, after a 21-year-long career, found herself unemployed after redundancy and unable to find a new role with an employer who would accommodate the additional needs of her disability. Helen joined the programme in November 2024 after feeling unsure of her next step and has been supported by the Newcastle College team, including Employability Instructor, Veronique Lain.
Helen said: “Becoming unemployed at this point in life definitely knocked my confidence, and it left me not knowing where to turn, something I hadn’t experienced before. This was the first time in my working life that I had no structure, which is something I really struggled with, especially with both my husband and son being out of the house during the day. Despite my degree and all the skills and experience I’d gained in my career, it was still daunting to be faced with finding a brand-new role and employer that could accommodate my needs, and the process of starting from scratch to rebuild my confidence and going for job interviews again.
“I turned to Open Doors in November 2024 as a lifeline to help me get back into employment, and I’m so pleased I did. The team did everything they could to support me and to help me set new goals for myself. Through their coaching, I was able to create a digital portfolio, improve my CV, create impactful cover letters and develop my interview skills via mock interviews. I was also able to participate in various training and external online courses that would enable me to develop my skillset. Not only that, but at every step, they were committed to helping me overcome any mental health challenges too, signposting me to relevant support services as needed.
“With my disability, my mobility can sometimes be a barrier, which is something I was conscious of when faced with finding a new job. However, Open Doors helped me remove any physical or financial barriers where they could, such as setting up an opportunity for me to work and meet at a local café, meaning I didn’t need to get a taxi or a bus.
“The journey has been incredible, and I can’t thank Veronique and the Newcastle College team enough. The programme has definitely helped me shift my mindset and be a lot braver. I’ve learnt not to be defeated by rejection, and I now feel confident that I have the skills to be resilient and pick myself back up again. I’m now working as a freelance digital marketer, and I absolutely wouldn’t be where I am today if it weren’t for Veronique and Open Doors.”
Veronique Lain, Employability Lecturer at Newcastle College on the Open Doors: Beyond Barriers project, said: “I couldn’t be prouder of how far Helen has come since we started working together. Our goal for the project is to provide people in the region with personalised support that meets their needs and helps them overcome their unique challenges, no matter how big or small. Seeing Helen develop and regain her sense of belief is so rewarding, and I am really pleased that she can take this next step in her career and reach her full potential – I’m sure she’ll be fantastic.”
The project recently received national commendation, as the Association of Colleges (AOC) named Newcastle College a commended college in the AoC Beacon Awards, which celebrate the best and most innovative practice among UK further education colleges.
The Open Doors: Beyond Barriers project was initially funded for a 12-month period with a target of 900 residents by the UK Government and the North East Combined Authority. The project has now been extended for a further year and has now reached more than 1,300 people.
For more information on the Open Doors: Beyond Barriers programme, visit www.ncl-coll.ac.uk/apply-now/open-doors.