Member Article

SkillsBridge supports Sunderland Carers

North East-based SkillsBridge matches volunteers from the private and public sector with medium-sized charities and social enterprises who could benefit from their expertise and has been hailed by the Government as a model of best practice.

Now it has teamed experts from leading North East housing provider Gentoo with Sunderland Carers Centre, a charity founded to offer support, information and advice to those in the city who care for loved ones.

The charity approached SkillsBridge in the hope it could access expert help with their data analysis and it, in turn, approached Doxford Park-based Gentoo, which is strongly committed to providing voluntary support to the local community.

“We had accumulated a great deal of information that could really influence the way the charity moves forward and give a broader picture of carers in the city as a whole,” said Graham Burt, CEO of the charity, based at Thompson Road.

“What we needed was expert advice on what to do with that information; how to present it in the best possible way and how to give it the most impact.”

SkillsBridge put the charity in touch with Gentoo’s business insight manager Michael Cochrane and, for the past six months, he has provided them with entirely free expert advice on how to make best use of the statistical information they gather about the services they provide.

“It’s been a great opportunity to share some of my knowledge and skills with a really worthwhile organisation, said Michael, “and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed working with them.

“Gentoo is passionate about supporting its local community and our involvement with SkillsBridge means we are able to give support where it is most needed.”

In the past year volunteers from more than 70 companies, including Benfield Motors, NatWest, Greggs, Eversheds, KPMG, Home Group, Carillion plc and EDF Energy, have helped around 200 North East charities and social enterprises in a number of ways.

“Charities are increasingly being required to operate like businesses,” said SkillsBridge Chief Executive Andrew White.

“They face the same human resources, legal and health and safety requirements, for example, yet very often have no experts in those fields to call upon.

“Equally, the region is home to a great number of hugely successful private sector businesses, which are keen to give something back to the community – our job is to bring them together so everyone benefits.”

SkillsBridge is now calling on more companies, from small consultancies to PLCs to get involved with the project, either by offering financial support or by volunteering to share their skills.

To find out more about SkillsBridge and the service it provides, ring 0191 275 5059 or email Andrew@skills-bridge.org or Chris@skills-bridge.org.

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