6 Good Things That The Good Things Foundation Are Doing

Find out about the issues and what they’re doing to solve them:

1. Digital Inclusion

Digital inclusion is a social issue.

A lack of digital skills and access can have a huge negative impact on a person’s life, leading to;

· poorer health outcomes and a lower life expectancy,

· increased loneliness and social isolation,

· less access to jobs and education.

It can mean;

· paying more for essentials,

· financial exclusion

· an increased risk of falling into poverty.

Digitally excluded people also lack a voice and visibility in the modern world, as government services and democracy increasingly move online.

What’s more, it’s those already at a disadvantage — through age, education, income, disability, or unemployment — who are most likely to be missing out, further widening the social inequality gap.

11.3 million people in the UK don’t have the basic digital skills they need to thrive in today’s world. How much are they missing out on?

What are Good Things Foundation doing about it?

Digital inclusion is key to Good Things Foundation’s work helping socially disadvantaged people transform their lives.

Their local network of centres (in the UK and Australia) engage people with community-based learning, offering digital skills as part of a package of support based on an individual’s need.

They design and run deep-reach digital inclusion programmes including Future Digital Inclusion, Lloyds Banking Group digital inclusion programme and Helping vulnerable people start and stay safe online.

They work hard to improve digital capability for all, because they believe that everyone can enjoy a greater quality of life and wellbeing through digital.

2. Social Inclusion

Social exclusion isn’t fair.

Social inclusion is about making sure that everyone — regardless of age, income, or ability — has the same opportunities, helping to level the playing field for all.

It’s a complex issue made up of many different causes. We know there’s no single answer to all of these issues but we believe digital can help.

Whether voting, searching for jobs, accessing health services or connecting with the community around you, no one should be left behind and no one should be left without a friendly face and support to improve their lives.

82% of the people we support are socially excluded.

What are the Good Things Foundation doing about it?

At Good Things Foundation, they are using digital as an enabler to solve social challenges and to change lives.

They look at the many different ways that they can improve levels of social inclusion through digital means, focussing primarily on

· Health and wellbeing

· Employability and benefits

· Financial literacy

· Essential skills

Online Centres all over the country are helping people to overcome social exclusion and isolation by providing a safe place, an open door, and a holistic approach to solving their problems. Good Things Foundation know that people who engage with digital through local support can begin to connect to their communities and overcome some of the challenges they face.

Their social inclusion programmes powered by digital help people to gain the wider skills and opportunities they need to participate fully.

3. Health and Wellbeing

Health inequality in the UK is a major problem: people living in deprived wards tend to have a lower life expectancy and be at higher risk of poor health.

People without digital skills are the group already most likely to experience health inequalities — it’s clear there’s a growing need to increase digital health literacy and skills. Digital tools can help people take charge of their own health and make the right choices for them.

While reducing stress and cost for individuals, improved digital health skills can also have huge impacts on the delivery of frontline services, reducing pressure on the NHS through an increase in online transactional services such as repeat prescriptions, online appointment booking and patient access to health records.

Health inequalities account for £20 billion in healthcare costs to the NHS annually

What are Good Things Foundation doing about it?

Good Things Foundation’s work is focussed on how digital can improve health and wellbeing, both through ensuring people can access the information and services they require, or through improving their confidence and helping them to access opportunities and support.

Their projects explore practical ways to empower patients to take charge of their own health, developing strong digital literacy skills to access trusted online health advice and NHS services, to make the choices that are right for them.

The Good Things Foundation believe that informed self-care and greater wellbeing are achievable goals for everybody, regardless of their socioeconomic status, and ones in which digital will increasingly play an important role.

4. Financial Inclusion

Financial inclusion is about making sure that everyone has the access and skills to be able to use the right financial services for them.

8.5 million people in the UK would struggle immediately if their income were to stop

A financially inclusive society ensures those who are in work are able to manage their wages and those out of work are able to effectively budget their benefits.

We believe that everyone should have equal access to financial services and be supported to develop basic financial skills, enabling them to manage their money, regardless of income, age or circumstance.

What are the Good Things Foundation doing about it?

The clear link between financial exclusion and issues such as poverty, inequality, and social exclusion means that Good Things Foundation and the Online Centres Network are committed to making a difference in this field.

Their financial inclusion programmes are showing how digital can empower people to build their financial capability.

Working in partnership with the public, private and charity sectors is key to their approach. They’re working with Lloyds Banking Group to support a group of centres within the Online Centres Network to deliver financial inclusion activity, to produce online courses for Learn My Way, and to support Lloyds Digital Champions to play a role in reducing financial and digital exclusion.

The Good Things Foundation network routinely engages people in need of guidance through the Universal Credit and Find a Job systems, while simultaneously providing advice on budgeting skills and dealing with debt through the Money My Way financial management learning programme.

Good Things Foundation and their network of community partners are working towards a vision of full financial inclusion for all, through local support and online learning.

5. Employability and benefits

Digital skills are vital to being successful in today’s job market — both when looking for work and progressing in the workplace.

These skills prepare people for work-readiness, improve their employment prospects and help unemployed people to look for work. Yet nearly 24% of unemployed people are currently lacking digital skills, meaning that those who stand to benefit the most are still missing out.

1 in 10 people in employment don’t have all of the basic digital skills.

What are they are doing about it?

Digital skills and local community support can make a real difference in helping people into the right employment.

Jobseekers are one of the largest groups seeking support at our Online Centres; the introduction of Universal Credit has galvanised a need for basic digital skills and 17% of referrals to our centres come from Jobcentre Plus. However, the help centres offer isn’t just confined to Universal Jobmatch. All of our centres support people with a wide-ranging package of support, which may include employment skills, financial management, and wellbeing, according to need.

Learn My Way has plenty of resources too — from the Find a job guide to applying for jobs online — all found in the Jobs and Skills package of free courses.

94% of unemployed Learn My Way learners progress onto employment-related activity.

6. Essential skills (English, maths, ESOL)

Basic skills — literacy, numeracy and English language skills — are vital for people to participate fully in society.

People who lack any of these skills can face profound barriers to accessing health, learning and employment opportunities, while being a confident communicator in English is vital to help people integrate with their local community.

Good Things Foundation believe that everyone should have the opportunity to be part of society. The Online Centres Network works with people with a range of needs, including numeracy and literacy skills, to help address the barriers they face.

29% of Learn My Way users progress to further learning in Maths. 21% of Learn My Way users go on to develop their English skills.

7. Good Things Foundation are hiring

The Chief Operating Officer’s (COO) Business Operations team focus is to improve the internal systems and processes and to ensure efficient and effective project delivery, which enables Good Things Foundation to do good things with technology. They aim to do this by looking to hire a Business Operations Project Manager on 12 month fixed-term contract.

This is a key role to ensure the organisation can deliver its ambitious programme to make a difference in people’s lives.

If you are interested, you will support the COO and the Business Operations function to work on funded project delivery across the portfolio:

· Manage day to day delivery and project management of key funded and internal projects, own the critical path and ensure delivery plans that are produced and communicated are realistic and achievable

· Contribute to development of bids, proposals and contracts by providing accurate forecasts of capacity and scheduling

· Set up, motivate and manage cross-functional project teams, where appropriate, to deliver project outputs and contract deliverables, always ensuring effective collaboration and communication

· Chair project meetings and ensure meeting time is managed effectively with planned agenda, accurate minutes and documented follow up actions

· Create and communicate detailed briefs in order to commission specialist teams on specific pieces of work and track the delivery of those briefs, escalating to the overall Project Lead/ DSI Manager where critical path is not on track

· Identify dependencies and conflicting business requirements across the project portfolio and work, with colleagues across the organisation to implement resolutions

· Set up proportionate and effective project governance and reporting structures to produce accurate delivery schedules, resource plans, budgets and exception reports for all projects

· Working with Digital Social Inclusion and specialist teams, demonstrate effective risk management of funded projects. Ensure all high-risk projects are escalated to the Business Operations Manager

You love planning and you love collaborating with colleagues from a range of teams and disciplines. Your role includes supporting and helping, as well as cajoling and encouraging.

You’re inquisitive and want to know everything that’s happening, and you use your initiative to troubleshoot problems before they arise. You’re passionate about seeing how all of the details add up to a significant positive impact on people’s lives.

Project Planning and Management

· Develop, deliver and communicate realistic project critical paths, using proven tools and techniques and ensure these plans (and any subsequent changes) are effectively communicated across the business

· Establish proportionate and effective project governance on projects, ensuring roles and responsibilities are clear to team members and they understand what they need to deliver

· Provide constructive challenge to workstream leads, whilst also coaching and supporting team members to deliver their respective workstreams

· Manage and report on risks and issues to the project using Good Things Foundation framework escalating where necessary

· Manage resources on the project (people, money and time) to ensure cost-effective delivery

· Ensure smooth transitions from old systems and processes to new ones, minimising any disruption to day to day operations and ensuring that sufficient documentation and training is in place

Communications and reporting

· Provide regular progress and status reports on project progress and risks and issues, escalating where necessary to DSI Manager and Business Operations Manager

· Ensure that project information is fed into Good things Foundation systems and processes to enable a portfolio overview

· Ensure that progress and timely and relevant updates on project delivery are provided across the Group via a range of methods

· Provide regular updates to SMT and Leadership on project progress and ensure risks are escalated in order to gain their timely input

Business Requirements

· Support the Business Operations Manager to define, shape and clarify high level business requirements

· Work with DSI managers and other colleagues to understand the vision for each project and product in order to provide appropriate support and planning

· Work with the Business Operations Manager to ensure products and projects are supported properly through their entire lifecycle, and, issues, incidents and complaints are supported, communicated and escalated appropriately

· Ongoing review of all project tools to ensure they are fit for purpose and introducing improvements where required

Other

· Contributing to building capability in project delivery, agile working and resource and project planning across the organisation, through coaching and develop teams and individuals’ skills

· Working more widely with HR and Finance to ensure accurate budgeting for projects is in place and training and development needs for project are communicated

· Provide cover for Business Operations Manager and COO as and when required.

· Provide coaching and support to Executive Assistant(s) and project officers working on projects

Person Specification

Essential

· Managing and delivering multiple successful and complex programmes and projects operationally and strategically

· Successful application of programme and change management techniques

· Use of project management methods and/or tools to deliver complex and innovative projects

· Resource management and planning

· Risk and/or issues management

· Experience of working in a fast-paced environment

Desirable

· Experience of agile methodologies

· Experience of using Monday.com or similar web-based planning tools

Knowledge and skills

· Self-starter must be able to work on own initiative and understand when to escalate

· Excellent project management skills

· Excellent interpersonal and influencing skills to build effective working relationships with internal colleagues

· Excellent planning and organisational skills

· Excellent verbal and written communication skills enabling engagement at all levels

· Excellent problem-solving skills

· Clear willingness to intervene or assist in the activities of the team where circumstances demand

Good Things Foundation Behaviours

· They are collaborative

· They are positive

· They are creative

· They are people focussed

· They are curious

Education and Qualifications

· Educated to degree level or equivalent

Other requirements

· To demonstrate a commitment to safeguarding vulnerable adults.

· To comply with the organisational Safeguarding Policies and Procedures.

· To satisfy the pre-employment checking process

· To comply with the information security and data protection policies and procedures

Benefits

· All employees with contracts of six months or more are invited to be a Member of the Good Things Foundation Staff Owned Mutual. This gives you voting rights for Staff Board Directors and at the AGM (Annual General Meeting)

· 30 days holiday per year

· 10% Employer contribution to a personal stakeholder pension scheme (when you contribute 5%)

· Up to £500 contribution for work related training (or £200 for personal development and £300 for work related training)

· Life cover and permanent health insurance

· Confidential Employee Assistance helpline

Benefits

· Pension

· Healthcare

· Other

Job Type

· Permanent

Degree Required

· Yes

Visa Sponsorship

· No

Relocation

· No

Reason for hire

· Growth

Interview Comments

· 1st stage will be a telephone interview, 2nd stage will be F2F/Video call and will likely include a presentation task (TBC).

If interested in this specific role you can apply directly here. If you are interested in finding out more about the roles available in the nuclear industry head on over to jobs.getintonuclear.com.