Unique Employability Course Launched

Community Integrated Care, Widnes Vikings and the Rugby League World Cup 2021 have launched a unique employability course this week for people who have care and support needs.

The three organisations have teamed up to deliver a special programme, offering participants the opportunity to secure a qualification in Employability and enjoy exciting volunteering placements with both the club and the tournament.

This programme will benefit people supported by the social care charity Community Integrated Care as well as the Vikings’ participants in the Community Integrated Care Learning Disability Super League. It is being delivered online by the Vikings Sport Foundation, the charity of the club, with guidance and assistance from the care charity.

Reaching people who have learning disabilities, autism and mental health concerns, it will have a profound impact – giving many their first ever opportunity to secure a qualification and enjoy workplace experiences.

This represents the inaugural project of Community Integrated Care’s ground-breaking partnership with the Rugby League World Cup 2021. The two organisations are teaming up to give people who access social care services many new opportunities to develop life-skills, enjoy social opportunities and have fun, drawing upon the inspiration and excitement generated by the tournament.

John Hughes, Director of Partnerships and Communities at Community Integrated Care, says: “Enjoying rewarding workplace experiences, where we can make friends and develop skills, is an important part of enjoying a full and independent life. Sadly, many people who have support needs face significant barriers to pursuing their talents, interests and goals through meaningful work and volunteering. In this course, we are working together to build workplace confidence and skills, developing a pathway to people discovering and achieving their workplace dreams.

The opportunity to enjoy rewarding volunteering placements with the club and tournament is hugely exciting for the participants. We would like to thank both Widnes Vikings and the Rugby League World Cup 2021 for their vision in supporting this project. Special thanks must also go to WEA for their brilliant support in commissioning this project.”

Cheryl McGivern, Head of Foundation at Vikings Sport Foundation, says: “We have been proud to work in partnership with Community Integrated Care since 2016 and to achieve some incredible projects together. This project has the potential to really enhance the lives of participants, by giving them the skills, confidence and opportunities to explore volunteering and works. The opportunity provided by the Rugby League World Cup 2021 to inspire people through the influence of the sport is huge and this is a special example of that.”

Tracy Power, Legacy Director at the Rugby League World Cup 2021, added: “The Rugby League World Cup 2021 looks to inspire and be inclusive to communities across England. The legacy objective of this, the biggest and best ever Rugby League World Cup, is not only to provide excitement but also new opportunities to thousands of people. This includes enabling our volunteer programme to be welcoming and accessible to those with a diverse range of support needs.

‘Few sports are as close to their communities as Rugby League and through this tournament it is our stated intention to give back to the places which are our heartlands and there are no better partners for this project than Community Integrated Care and the Vikings Sport Foundation.”