Skills Innovation Fund – Expression of Interest
Last week Mayor David Skaith launched the Skills Innovation Fund to support skills development in the York and North Yorkshire region over a timeframe of two years, from April 2025 to March 2027.
We believe that this fund could be a good fit for a future programme enabling us to offer ‘hidden curriculum’ provision to people across York and North Yorkshire. The model for delivery would be based on our award winning Multiply partnership. A new programme would cover literacy, digital and independent living skills as well as numeracy. We would like to adopt our current model of delivering 121 holistic provision and wellbeing activities delivered through group work.
If successful, this programme will run for 2 years April 2025 – March 2027, with a total investment of £1,000,000. In a similar vein to Multiply, this programme will run alongside other programmes complementing and adding value to the delivery of these.
If you are interested in being included in this partnership, please read the guidance and complete the Expression of Interest and partner declaration below.
Guidance SIF Application
Please return your completed expression of interest and signed declaration by close of business on Friday 28th February to Emma Lyons on elyons@betterconnect.org.uk.
The deadline for our partnership submission to the Skills Innovation Fund is Wednesday 5th March. We will be working hard between now and then to pull together a partnership application and also come up with a project name!
Post by Emma Lyons
Head of Business Development
Emma is Head of Business Development for Better Connect, working closely with the senior leadership team to find new funding and partnership programme opportunities that support organisations and people to thrive in their life and work. She works closely with existing and potential new delivery partners, external stakeholders and funders to create opportunities that will benefit local communities across Yorkshire.
Learn more about Emma