Making Theatre Gaining Skills has raised funding from a range of sources – without their support we couldn’t deliver the programmes that help people develop skills, confidence and employability. Thank you to all of them! Our supporters include but are not limited to:

  • Department for Work and Pensions
  • Regional Growth Fund
  • Arts Council England
  • Heritage Lottery
  • Esmee Fairbairn Foundation
  • West Sussex County Council


Artswork

“This was undoubtedly a team accomplishment.  The young people, who had never met each other or worked together before, had really embraced the opportunities for learning with professional experts and demonstrated creative ingenuity and skill, real team work, great communication skills and problem solving abilities.   The question and answer session after the performance showed that not only had they got a huge amount out of their participation, but that they had grown in confidence and self worth, they had developed real leadership skills and that they had a huge sense of respect for each other and for the creative professionals that they had worked alongside with.  There was also a thirst for more.”

Jane Bryant, CEO Artswork

Job Centre Plus (West Sussex / Portsmouth)

“You have supported over 100 of our most vulnerable claimants (mainly those on employment support allowance and income support), many of whomdid not consider themselves in any way ready to consider work and many of whom were socially isolated. Every single programme resulted in voluntary work options a d job starts for some participants! For me, though the greatest significance was the commitment you gained from the individuals to complete the programme, with over 90% staying the course.”

Emma Wareham, County Partnership Manager – West Sussex, DWP

“Making Theatre gave these men the opportunity to test themselves in a safe but challenging environment.  Opportunities were provided to learn new skills, refresh and build on old ones, test and improve stamina and social skills. Most valuable for claimants living with disability or long term health conditions.”

Kate Warner, Health and Disability Employment Advisor, Portsmouth JCP

Mental Health Support

“Making Theatre Gaining Skills changes lives, helping people view themselves and life’s challenges in a different light. The West Sussex Tier 2, targeted mental health support services work with people with an emerging and/or existing mental health issue supporting them to live well, get well and stay well. Each client has a personal support plan to help them achieve their goals. As a “Critical Partner”, Making Theatre Gaining Skills offers opportunities to develop employment skills that are particularly needed by this group of people. Direct referral pathways and joint working arrangements with the Tier 2 services will support people to access Making Theatre Gaining Skills training, which would have an immediate effect on a group of people who are amongst the most excluded and disadvantaged members of the community.”

Sara Pickford, Project lead for redesign of Tier 2 Mental Health support service, West Sussex