05/04/23 13:50
We are pleased to be able to continue the Choices provision through funding kindly supplied by Allerdale and Copeland Councils until June 2023. We are currently recruiting residents of West Cumbria who would like support to break down barriers to entering…
30/11/21 10:53
Photos from our last cook 'n' share at Millom. We made chicken dinner. Incorporating regular and Halal chicken 3 veg, roasties and mash gravy and award winning Yorkshire pudding. And they came in at £1 per portion! (and there are…
10/09/21 10:00
Ryan started on Choices in November 2020 at a time when new lockdowns and restrictions looked likely. This posed uncertainties in Ryan’s mind about his employment prospects. He naturally felt stressed and anxious. His Choices Key Worker maintained regular contact…
13/08/21 10:00
Jordan joined Choices before the Covid-19 Pandemic seeking help in making plans for the future. This proved even more crucial than anyone could have imagined given the turmoil we were all about to experience in 2020. His CYA Choices Key…
06/08/21 10:00
Tyler joined Choices Cumbria looking for options and opportunities. Tyler didn't have any expectations of getting employment. These feelings were made worse by the Covid-19 pandemic and associated lockdowns and restrictions. Tyler was stuck. His CYA Choices Key Worker spoke…
30/07/21 10:00
Liam started on the Choices Programme in the middle of a Covid-19 lockdown early in 2021. This was a difficult time for everyone in the UK and Liam struggled to see how things would work out for him. Face to…
23/07/21 12:41
Jamie started on Choices in July 2020. Jamie had no work experience and he was struggling with anxiety, personal skills and social interactions. He was spending all of his time in the house shut away from society and not learning…
13/07/21 11:57
Last Saturday two of our staff, participants old and existing joined the Bindi's Bimbles walk at Loweswater. This group was set up to help people with terminal illnesses or who have cared for someone and been bereaved. Despite the rain…
14/06/21 14:11
Contact us to see how we can help if you are feeling lonely and isolated in #LonelinessAwarenessWeek We arrange a large variety of activities that you can join in with as and when you are ready. Throughout Covid-19 our Key…
10/06/21 14:19
Amazing art work produced at the Art with Roy session Groundwork Offices, James street, Workington, CA14 2DF Next session Tuesday 15th June. Book with your Key Worker. Can Choices help you meet your future goals? Do you need help with…
09/06/21 14:26
Our Key Worker Andy at the Copeland "Choices is Yours" health event at Haverigg. If you would like to know more about Choices Andy will will be at the event again on Thursday 10th at Millom Rugby Union Club 12.30pm…
07/06/21 14:35
Gardening activity at Unit 3 Work and Skills Centre in Millom. Key Worker, Christine, helping participants plant beetroots and leeks. The gardening is a great chance to take your mind off things, have a chat and learn some new skills.…
20/05/21 09:40
We've started! This morning ladies from different backgrounds and cultures joined together for fitness and well being advice. We had great fun learnt a lot from Sam from Together We and look forward to learning about the impact of social…
16/07/20 11:55
Our Key Worker Christine from Workington has been making these lovely reusable face masks in her spare time. To help keep our Key Workers and participants safe during the Coronavirus out break.
16/07/20 11:45
Through COVID 19 and lockdown, Cumbria Youth Alliance have been working with young people in a different way, facing new challenges and obstacles along the way. Shauna joined the Choices programme funded through The National Lottery Community Fund and the…
16/07/20 11:38
Cameron started on the Choices programme, funded by The National Lottery Community Fund and the European Social Fund in September 2019. This programme is led by the Groundwork North East and Cumbria. He had been unemployed for almost 12 months,…
09/07/20 15:59
Some of our regular and most popular activities on the CHOICES programme include nature walks with our volunteers, social trips to local places and gardening. Due to the current Covid-19 pandemic, everyone is spending a lot more time at home.…
09/07/20 15:58
One of our ex Choices participants who is now a volunteer with Groundwork has found a keen interest in photography and film. After attending sessions arranged by Studio Films of Barrow he is now occupying himself during lockdown undertaking a…
09/07/20 15:58
The use of online platforms for training, information and guidance, day to day tasks such as shopping and government services has increased significantly in recent times. The withdrawal of 'face to face' contact from support services, and the temporary closure…
09/07/20 15:57
Nathanial Crabtree lives in a rural part of the Lake District and has been even further isolated from his usual social groups and life chances and work we do with him at Choices. For the past 9 week he has…
09/07/20 15:56
Our programme participants with Cumbria Youth Alliance have had the opportunity to enjoy some online learning through E-Learning Embrace Modules. The learning modules have been set up to help our young people look at a variety of topics including gaining…
09/07/20 15:54
Jonathan self referred himself onto the Choices programme, after many things in his life had taken a down turn. He was struggling with his mental health, had lost his job because of this and had ended up living in a…
09/07/20 15:52
During Men's Health week at Groundwork our male Key Workers were set a task to cover some miles in order to promote awareness and keeping fit. They got up to some fun activities, Andy in Millom went for a bike…
09/07/20 15:48
Katie started on the Choices programme in July 2018. Katie was struggling with her mental health and, although very supported by her family, lacked reasons to get out of the house. She received one to one support, as well as…
28/04/20 09:34
Paul has been on the Choices programme a number of months now, and has been training hard getting volunteering experience on market stalls and in Café West Whitehaven, providing good quality customer services. Following an application for employment with Café…
28/04/20 09:33
When Ricky joined the Choices programme, he lacked confidence in social situations and didn’t feel comfortable in groups. He had worked previously and wanted to do so in the future but he wanted to work with us to improve his…
27/04/20 15:30
Chloe started on the Choices programme in November 2018. She received one to one support from Cumbria Youth Alliance with confidence and coping strategies to help her overcome barriers, as well as attending group sessions centred around emotional resilience, mental…
27/04/20 15:30
Before Marise joined CHOICES she painted and drew for family and friends. Unfortunately, a bereavement turned her life upside down and she could no longer find solace in her pens and paints. When Marise came on to the programme she…
27/04/20 15:30
I joined Choices for some advice on a change of career after a health setback meant I couldn’t continue in my old job. I was stuck indoors and the original plan was to meet people at Choices activities and look…
27/04/20 15:30
David Gamborini, has achieved six months paid work at a local supermarket. West House supported David with a placement for an online shop and stockist at their warehouse, and then at their storefront premises. After attending only a few weeks’…
23/04/20 09:00
Louis started on the Choices Programme in July 2019. He was finding it difficult to motivate himself after a number of failed opportunities following College. Louis was encouraged by his Key Workers Gary and Anna to attend a CYA Young…
23/04/20 09:00
I’ve been out of work for quite a while now and I was looking for ways to improve my skills to get a job as not working had been really getting me down. I wasn’t sure how to go about…
23/04/20 09:00
Roy the Artist visited our participants to show them how to create paintings from pastel paint. Check out the different stages of their paintings before they achieved the final result.
23/04/20 08:59
Amber joined CHOICES in December 2018 and was very anxious around new people, places and situations. Her goal was that she felt able to enrol at college in September 2019. By meeting up regularly with Christine, her Keyworker, and having…
23/04/20 08:59
We asked our current and previous participants to take part in our survey, here's the fantastic results we achieved!
22/04/20 09:32
Elliot came to the Choices programme through West House, having established himself at Grow West as a volunteer. Elliot wished to find employment in the gardening sector after developing his skills at Grow West specifically on the Gardening services. To…
22/04/20 09:30
Every week our participants take part in a Cookery activity where they learn a large variety of different cheap and easy dishes. Which they can take their skills and adapt to their cooking at home. An example of some of…
22/04/20 09:30
“I joined Choices in early 2019 as I needed help with benefits and guidance on training. I ended up needing urgent housing advice and the team were brilliant in sorting out a short term solution. My Key Worker Andy in…
22/04/20 09:29
We had Signal Films attending our office to deliver our participants a Photography workshop. Getting them to take images using different backgrounds and scenarios, they also were able to be more familiar with their own cameras. Here's some of the…
21/04/20 09:19
We asked one of our participants to reflect on how the anxiety and depression sessions have helped them in terms of managing your mental wellbeing. “I had sought help from different organisations in the past for my mental health but…
21/04/20 09:17
Our Groundwork Choices staff members were invited to attend the Annual staff awards ceremony at our head Office in the North East, as our staff had been shortlisted for a variety of different areas. Unfortunately we weren't successful in any…
21/04/20 09:12
"Scott at West House helped me get my first paying job at Booths and then supported me while I settled in at the job. I have passed the probation period and I am enjoying working in a friendly team. Thankyou…
21/04/20 09:10
Our participants have taken part in several Pottery workshops, through our partners at West House. They have managed to make a variety of different pieces and paint them to their own specification. Here you can see the different stages of…
20/04/20 10:34
William Joined the Choices programme in September 2019. He had a number of barriers in the past which have prevented him from moving forward as he would have liked to but now feels in a position to try and take…
20/04/20 10:28
Dogs for Development delivered our participants a session which helped them understand some different positive ways of thinking! They all had a great, relaxing day.
20/04/20 10:10
"I was on the Choices programme for over a year. I needed advice on lots of things because I had ideas about what I wanted to do but didn’t always know how to how to go about it. My Key…
20/04/20 10:05
Our Key Worker Christine and some participants have been working hard during our Gardening activity at the Millom Network Centre once a week transforming their garden area. Check out our progress, we can't wait to go back and see the…
12/11/19 12:06
Macauley joined the Choices Programme in July 2018. Macauley’s Key Worker helped him to identify the types of work he felt he would enjoy and supported him in sourcing a work experience placement where he could learn new skills and…
01/11/19 11:41
The Beacon Museum tour and walk around Whitehaven Harbour, guided by our Volunteers.
01/11/19 11:18
Congratulations Kieren. Kieren joined the Choices Programme in May 2018. Kieren was a participant that had positive ambitions for his future and wanted to further himself, but was unable to source the training he wanted to do in Business Management.…
01/11/19 11:15
Ben joined the Choices programme and was supported by our Key Worker, Andy Deacon. “Ben had made a previous attempt to go to university which hadn’t worked out for him. Joining Choices made a huge difference and has helped Ben…
31/10/19 12:10
Another exciting trip for our participants! We travelled to Scotland to visit the Samye Ling Temple for a cultural experience. Here we were able to visit somewhere brand new and spend time engaging with other participants on the programme.
31/10/19 11:52
“Before joining Choices I wasn’t confident about meeting new people. I felt stuck at home. Choices organises lots of activities and with a bit of encouragement I got involved with the cooking group and the gardening. I’ve made new friends,…
31/10/19 11:48
Chelsea joined the Choices programme with Cumbria Youth Alliance in February 2018. CYA work with our youngest participants in the 16-24 years age group. Chelsea was 1 of 6 participants that engaged and completed a joint programme delivered by CYA…
30/10/19 16:04
Our participants, Key Workers and Volunteers visited Carlisle's Tullie House to learn about local history followed by a guided tour of the Castle and Carlisle by our Volunteers.
30/10/19 15:20
Callum joined the Choices programme with Cumbria Youth Alliance in November 2017. He was one of ten participants that completed the Kaefer IOSH Working Safely Certification. Callum has gone on to do the Level 3 First Aid in the Work…
30/10/19 15:18
Wayne is one of our participants working with Key Worker, Andy Deacon, based in Millom. Wayne explains how Choices has helped him towards his goals of securing employment after being unemployed for over four years: “Choices Cumbria has been really…
29/10/19 16:08
Our participants travelled to Ulverston to visit the Manjushri temple to learn about meditation and a cultural experience.
29/10/19 15:32
I joined Choices in August 2018 as I was looking for advice on getting employment. I was intending to start full time work but had found this difficult in the past. I had been working for myself for a couple…
28/10/19 16:07
Here's what Callum had to say about Choices. “When I first attended the Choices programme with Cumbria Youth Alliance I was in a hopeless place, with no aspirations, motivation or self-worth. At first I assumed it would be another mandatory…
14/06/18 16:37
Participants at Choices got green hands with this Gardening Project
14/06/18 16:27
Brittany is 19, and joined CYA on the Choices programme. She then progressed on to our First Steps to Employment Programme. With Support Brittany undertook a work placement with The Citizens Advice Bureau due to an aspiration to work in…
14/06/18 16:17
Connor is 19 and from Maryport. He has worked closely with Karen through the Choices programme and was over the moon to hear this week that he got his dream job with The Rural Payments Agency. He will be putting…
14/06/18 16:14
When Karen first came to the Choices programme, she was very nervous. Her anxiety and depression had taken over. She had lost her job due to this, and was very emotional and shaky. Karen was determined to make a change,…
14/06/18 16:11
Howard was one of Choices first participants, being on the programme since September 2017 he has made outstanding progress. He was new to the area when he joined Choices, so was unfamiliar with services available and had very little social…
14/06/18 16:08
Charlotte, Danielle, Chelsea and Sophie all joined the programme at different times, all four young women have been facing some difficult times, including anxiety issues and depression, with specialised support and help from their Keyworker, John all the girls are…
14/06/18 12:52
Rachael moved to Allerdale from Copeland in June last year. She had been unemployed for 9 years, and due to the change in area, she had to move from Legacy benefits onto universal credit. Rachael received support to budget, manage…
15/02/18 11:03
Grace was invited to join Choices through our partner, West Cumbria Carers. “I vividly recall receiving that letter introducing me to the Choices initiative and inviting me to take part. I had no idea where partnering with Choices might lead…