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LEAP – for Edinburgh Women

The Making Work Work – LEAP (Learning, Employability, and Purpose) project, is running from August 2023 to March 2024 as a partnership between The Challenges Group, their Making Work Work brand, and Firstport.

Funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and supported by Capital City Partnership and the City of Edinburgh Council, this programme supports experienced women professionals to get back to the workplace after a career break for childcare or other reasons. Making Work Work will provide tailored, skilled pro bono support to applicable Edinburgh-based social businesses on a project basis from January to March 2024.

The core component of the programme is an 8-10 week placement, 16 hours per week, between January and March 2024 within social businesses in Edinburgh. This placement serves the dual purpose of; enabling participants to refresh or continue their skills development by contributing pro bono consultancy support to host organisations, and providing the host organisation with access to a highly skilled pool of talent. Placements are facilitated free of charge to host organisations.

The participants receive 6, 3-hour long training sessions in management, consultancy, and leadership. This training programme is recognised by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI). Host organisations also benefit from 6, 3-hour training sessions in a CMI-recognised programme: Managing with Purpose. Both groups also receive Flexible Working and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion training sessions. All training participants (including host organisations) receive a CMI CPD certificate on completion. 

You can find out more information about LEAP on the Making Work Work website, or express your interest in a placement by contacting Amy Blake at amy.earnshawblake@thechallengesgroup.com.