2020 was a tough year for most third sector organisations. With limited opportunities to work face-to-face with the people and communities we support, it has been difficult for us all.
At Canopy we found it impossible to deliver the anticipated outcomes for our ESF-supported CHOPS project, who’s primary aim was to get people back into work through our volunteering programme. With volunteering suspended, it simply could not be done.
Rather than scale the project back and furlough staff, we took the difficult decision to withdraw from the project and divert our resources towards supporting the local community in other ways.
The black hole in our finances has been filled for the time being thanks to support from Power to Change, Big Issue Invest and the National Lottery with backing from Social Investment Bank, Locality and The Ubele Initiative.
What about 2021?
The funding we have secured will help us refurbish our two office bases making them more accessible to the public. We will also be able to offer our volunteers personalised PPE and toolkits.
We know that many people have lost their jobs during the course of the pandemic. As lockdown eases, we can expect new jobs to be created, but who will fill these new vacancies?
Canopy are committed to Harehills: We don’t want to see a ‘forgotten’ generation of young people who are unable to find jobs in the face of competition from more experienced candidates.
Our new training programme
In early 2021 we will be launching a series of training programmes for young people. You do not need to be from Harehills, but the programme is aimed at people from the less affluent areas of Leeds. The training programme will offer:
- The opportunity to work on a live construction site 2-3 times a week for a period of six weeks.
- Six half-day classroom training sessions on essential construction industry skills.
- Small active learning groups and 121 support from our volunteer co-ordinator, our training and skills co-ordinator and our site workers.
- Your own PPE and toolkit for the duration of the programme.
- The opportunity to keep the PPE and toolkit if you complete the programme.
- Support in finding employment so your training doesn’t go to waste.
- A certificate of achievement and employer recommendations on completion.
- The opportunity to meet and work with the people who volunteer and self-help with Canopy Housing
- Invitations to our annual Scarborough trip, Christmas meal and other events throughout the year.
- Lots of tea and biscuits!
We’d love to hear from you. If you are interested, please e-mail Jasmine or Marie through info@canopyhousing.org or why not contact us through Facebook?
Are you a landlord?
We aim to support landlords, tenants and local businesses, as Selective Licensing is introduced into the area. Pick and mix from the options below or we can provide a full landlord service.
We can help with …
- Engaging with your tenants to help them look after their home
- Carrying out everyday repairs and bringing properties in line with current standards
- Carrying out specialist repairs through our network of approved contractors
- We can act as a managing agent, collecting rent, carrying out essential repairs and dealing with conflicts, whilst you put your feet up
- We can lease properties from you, offering you a guaranteed yield whilst your property appreciates in value
- If your property is in disrepair, we may be able to spread the cost of those repairs over a period of time; and
- For those who wish to sell, we are always looking to buy properties in the Harehills area
We can out carry out environmental improvements in the area – enhancing the appearance of the neighbourhood through community clean-ups, boundary repairs, gardening projects and the like. This will provide further opportunities for engagement, volunteering, self-help and support. We will use these engagement opportunities to provide further help, advice and employment support, face-to-face, in residents’ homes and from a drop-in at our base in the Bellbrookes.
