UKSPF Skills Innovation Accelerator Programme – United Kingdom

Deadline: Ongoing Opportunity

The Skills Innovation Accelerator Programme is a programme funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund which aims to drive up demand and engagement with the existing Doncaster skills and employment offer, as well as to enhance and accelerate innovation in the local skills offer for those aged 16+.

Focus Areas 

• Employer-Led skills Challenges
  • The Employer-Led Skills Challenges fund invites Doncaster employers to bid for funding to construct hand-on skills/learning challenges related to real world problems their organisations are facing. Applications are very much welcomed from any sector within the local economy but are particularly welcomed from those industries which align to Doncaster’s Centres of Excellence (Engineering, Creative & Digital, Health & Care, and Green Tech).
  • This is to encourage employers to engage in delivery of learning opportunities (including hands-on work experience opportunities), and to enable residents aged 16+ to engage with real-world scenarios and issues affecting industry, and in turn to develop industry-related skills, and greater knowledge and understanding of the workplace.
• Re-imagining Learning Spaces
  • To create spaces that make learning more accessible, engaging, and relevant, and will drive up engagement from residents aged 16+ with the local skills offer. In addition, the funding aims to support the creation of volunteering opportunities – with opportunities for local communities to get involved in redesigning the spaces.
• Remake Learning
  • To give VCFS groups, organisations and businesses a chance to be creative and deliver a innovative hands on learning activity to ages 16+ and their families. They hope that this activity would spark curiosity into the industry and allow the participants to follow on from the activity by volunteering within the space or taking the activity up as a hobby.

Theme 

• Remake Learning
  • Where possible the experiences should align to one or more of the following themes:
    • Science Technology Engineering or Mathematics (STEM)
    • Maker
    • Creative
    • Arts
    • Professional development

Funding Information 

• Employer-Led skills Challenges
  • Applications are invited for any amount up to a maximum value of £2000.
• Re-imagining Learning Spaces
  • Applications are invited for any amount up to a maximum value of £5000.
• Remake Learning
  • Applications are invited in 3 tiers, Small £50-£250, Medium £250-£500, Large £500+.

Types of Activities 

• Employer-Led skills Challenges
  • An engineering business collaborating with schools to invite young people to work together with their parents/carers to build a wind turbine that can generate power made from recycled materials. The employer would provide the technical materials, and families would present their entries for the employer to judge and award prizes. The award event would highlight the skills entrants had gained as well as possible careers related to this challenge.
  • A marketing agency opening their doors to invite groups of people interested in a career change to work in teams of three to six to develop a branding identity for a new start up and to pitch their ideas in a ‘Dragon’s Den’ style event.
  • A tech company creating a social gaming online ‘hackathon’ for those interested in a career in the digital sector.
• Re-imagining Learning Spaces
  • A local library converting an unused space in an existing venue to house a tool library – investing in tools and learning materials that support local people to gain greater confidence in their ability to fix and maintain their belongings.
  • A refugee-focused agency redesigning rooms to create trauma-informed learning spaces such that they are supportive, calming, and welcoming. For example, by installing sound dampeners, creating quiet zones or installing storage to provide clear sightlines to windows and exits.
  • A museum showcasing their collections online, allowing people to digitally interact with these objects and learn about their history. These online learning experiences would then signpost learners to further learning, volunteering and progression opportunities.
  • A business re-imagining a space within their building into a training room to be used for various training opportunities, which could then support additional employment opportunities within the organisation.
  • A school to design an outdoor learning space which could encourage parents and families to come and grow their own produce and learn all about the sustainability of growing your own food.
• Remake Learning
  • Activities you run must be engaging, inclusive, accessible, spark curiosity and passion and promote the development of both technical, practical, life and socio-emotional skills.

Who can apply? 

• Any Doncaster and South Yorkshire-based organisations, voluntary and faith sector groups, businesses and venues.

Requirements

• Evidence you have undertaken appropriate safeguarding training within the last two years
• DBS Certificate of individuals running the Event/Activity
• Risk Assessments for the Activity
• Public Liability insurance certificate
• Health and Safety Policy
• Bank Statement dated within the last 6 months
• Re-imagining Learning Spaces: Proof of ownership or agreement to be able to make changes to the space.

Deadlines 

• Employer-Led skills Challenges: Ongoing
• Re-imagining Learning Spaces: 30 September 2024
• Remake Learning: Ongoing

For more information, visit City of Doncaster Council.