With the end the pandemic still a long way off, a community centre in Falmouth is helping people who want to get back into employment but lack the confidence or necessary skills.

Refresh at the Dracaena Centre off Dracaena Avenue is an education, employment support group run by the centre's skills and education manager Siobhan Florence. It is aimed at anyone over the age of 18 who is currently not in employment or education and is totally free.

Falmouth Packet:

Ready to welcome you, Siobhan Florence

Siobhan says there are many people out there going through changes in their lives or are finding it difficult to find employment and they can help them.

"I think with the changes due to the pandemic and changes in people's roles and jobs there is a lot of people really lacking confidence out there now," she told the Packet. "People who have been made redundant and it's given them a bit of a knock.

"So we're here as a support project to really help people and support them into maybe exploring new options and retraining so they can get a new career path or getting them into education again."

She says they have had people come to the group who have been made redundant and they just don't have the IT skills because everything is online these days.

"They don't have the IT skills to get online applications and we help with CVs and employability skills. We are currently in the process of getting two free laptops for two of our participants to help them with their IT skills," said Siobhan.

"We are really lucky in that we can be really bespoke and tailored. Small groups and we are just able to offer people that one to one support that they need so we can explore what options are open and just see where they want to go in their future."

The project is lucky to have lots of local links such as with Falmouth Art Gallery and has put volunteers at maritime museum as well as helping people get apprenticeships.

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It runs a First Aid course so people can learn life saving skills, online qualifications which can help them to get a job such as health and safety, safeguarding, food hygiene, which is useful for people wanting to get into the hospitality industry or even care and cleaning work. The group also goes out on 'wellbeing' walks

"We also get out and about, we have picnics down the beach, we help out with maintenance for Cormac, we've done some gardening projects at the Princess Pavilion and down at Swanpool cemetery, so their a lot of a really mixed bag of what we can do and it isn't just about come in, sign up get a job," said Siobhan,

"We are really looking to help people make their future how they want it to be. We just want to get the word out there that we are here and we are available to support people."

To take advantage of Refresh contact Siobhan by email at siobhan@dracaenacentre.org or on the centre number which is 01326 319414

To be eligible you have to be aged over 18 and not in employment or education as long as you are in Falmouth and Penryn postcode area.

Sessions are on Tuesday and Thursday between 10am and 12noon. "You don't get detention if you don't turn up but the group asks to be kept in the loop," said Siobhan.

She says the group has already had success stories with people getting jobs off the project, but they would never push someone who wasn't ready.

"One chap who used to be a volunteer in late 20s was very interested in IT and ended up enrolling in Open University course looking to go into computer coding," she said. "Being able to help people is very important."

She says Refresh in particular gives people a real scope to think outside the box and ways of helping people that they might not see for themselves.

"I think it's such a difficult place to be in if you are lacking confidence or if you've not had a a job before and people often find themselves stuck in that vicious circle of 'I want to go into care work but I haven't got the experience to the get the job but I can't get the experience unless I have the job' and they're stuck in that vicious circle.

"So it's finding a way to help people and thinking outside the box.

"If you are unsure what to do with your future at the moment, give us a call, come in have a chat and we'll be able to help you one way or another."

Not only does the centre offer Refresh but there are also many other things there from play groups to the toy library, to a social support group for 50+.

The cafe offers low cost really nutritious meals for around £2.50.

It has a comprehensive youth support team which runs community days in August on Wednesdays which is for anybody to come along to with outdoor activities including the occasional circus skills classes and football skills coaching.

It also runs independent school holiday club, Time to Move which is on a Tuesday and Friday throughout August for families with children eligible for free school meals. Contact the centre and ask to speak to Kate.

It is open to everybody in Falmouth and Penryn area.