Barclaycard today announces that grant applications for its Horizons Education programme, which aims to provide funding to help lone parents back to work, is now open for eligible candidates to submit applications.
Lone parents can apply for grants from £500 to £1000 between the submission period of 1st to 31st July. The grants are part of the award winning* Horizons programme, which is designed to help equip lone parents with the training and support to re-enter the labour market. Successful applicants will be notified by the 31st August 2011 following an assessment of needs by Family Action.
The educational grants will be made available through Family Action, which administers the education element of the Horizons programme – with Citizens Advice giving the money support, Gingerbread providing the employment support and One Parent Families Scotland providing employment and money support in Scotland. To date Barclaycard has invested over £7 million in the entire Horizons programme helping over 450,000 lone parents and their children through the employment, money and education support.
The grants will cover a range of funding needs for lone parents. This means grants are not only available for course fees but also for expenses such as childcare, books and transport. Studies of past recipients for the scheme, which has run since 2005, have shown that 94% of parents would have been unable to begin or complete a course without such funding, and 97% believed the grant had improved their employment prospects.**
Alan Ainsworth, Head of Public and Community Affairs, Barclaycard: “Lone parents have many plates to balance and we know that finding time, let alone the money, for training for a new job can be tough. We’re proud that through our Barclaycard Horizons programme we can provide this funding and help make such a difference to families across the UK.”
Helen Dent CBE, Chief Executive of Family Action said: “In such a difficult financial and employment climate, where welfare reforms are increasing the pressure to move into work, lone parents need financial support and creative solutions to overcome such barriers to learning and training as course costs, travel, childcare costs and costs for equipment. That’s why the Barclaycard Horizons Your Education programme is so innovative.”
Dent concludes: “With financial support from us lone parents can gain a qualification meaning they have greater chance of getting a job with prospects. At a time when funding is being cut elsewhere, we’re delighted to be working with Barclaycard to help ensure lone parents and their children have a brighter and more secure future.”
The Horizons Education Fund aims to support lone parents who have the motivation, determination and ability to improve their employment prospects. To be eligible, applicants need to be a lone parent that has sole responsibility for dependent children and who lives alone with their children. Candidates interested in finding out more information on eligibility and application processes can call the Horizons Helpline 020 241 7639 daily from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. from Monday 27th June until Friday 2nd September inclusive. Alternatively please contact horizons@family-action.org.uk or apply for a grant via the Barclaycard Horizons website: http://www.yourhorizons.com.
All grant applications will be assessed during the week beginning 22nd August 2011 and applicants will be informed by email of decision made on the 31st August 2011.
Case studies available upon request
* Third Sector Excellence Awards 2010 – Winner in Best Corporate Partnership category
** Source: Barclaycard Horizons Survey September 2010 – Family Care
Horizons programme
1. The Horizons programme, supported by Barclaycard, helps lone parents build a brighter future for their families through 3 separate strands of work:
- Your Education – providing grants to help lone parents with the costs of education and training that will improve their job prospects.
- Your Money – debt advice and financial education to lone parents through group work or one-to-one sessions
- Your Work – help for lone parents return to work through activities specifically designed to give valuable advice and support on all aspects of returning to work
2. The Programme is delivered by 4 expert charities.
- Citizens Advice – delivers the Your Money
- Family Action – delivers Your Work
- Gingerbread – delivers Your Education
- One Parent Families Scotland - delivers Your Work and Your Money in Scotland
3. In 2011, Horizons is expected to help a further 100,000 people and will move to being delivered through 6 core communities in the following areas:
- Cardiff
- Glasgow
- London
- Liverpool
- Northampton
- Stockton
4. The educational grant application period opens in July, with submissions via the website www.yourhorizons.com – support with the process is also available from Horizons Information Centres in 6 locations: Cardiff , Glasgow, Liverpool, London, Northampton, and Stockton.
5. The programme was recognised by the prestigious Third Sector Excellence Awards in 2010, where it won the Corporate Partnership category
Barclaycard, part of Barclays Retail and Business Banking, is a leading global payment business which helps consumers, retailers and businesses to make and accept payments flexibly, and to access short-term credit when needed.
The company is one of the pioneers of new forms of payments and is at the forefront of developing viable contactless and mobile payment schemes for today and cutting edge forms of payment for the future. It also issues credit and charge cards to corporate customers and the UK Government. Barclaycard partners with a wide range of organisations across the globe to offer their customers or members payment options and credit.
In addition to the UK, Barclaycard operates in the United States, Europe and Africa.
Key facts published in February 2012;
- number of customers: 23.5m
- number of retailer/merchant relationships: 87,000
Barclays.com