Specialist employability service in Doncaster now accredited to the matrix standard

 Aspire to Be, a specialist employability service in Doncaster, is celebrating after being accredited to the matrix Standard, demonstrating the high quality of information, advice and guidance the team provide to clients.

The innovative service, which is managed by Doncaster Deaf Trust, offers tailored, sector-specific training for those aged 16-60 with SEND. The project aims to build on personal skills and provide opportunities to increase confidence, self-esteem, self-development, and improve health and wellbeing as individuals are supported to achieve employment in various sectors.

Aspire to Be, which recently received £465,000 from South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority to develop its provision, is for adults from across South Yorkshire who are Deaf/hearing impaired, neuro diverse or those who have any other communication difficulty helping to make a valuable difference to their lives by developing their skills and supporting them into work.

The matrix Standard is the international quality standard for organisations that deliver information, advice and/or guidance (IAG), either as their sole purpose or as part of their service offering.

Roger Chapman, head of the matrix Service for The Growth Company said: “This is a fantastic achievement for Aspire to Be and I would like to congratulate the team on their success. We believe that at the heart of high-quality advice and support services are strong leadership, excellent service and a focus on continuous improvement, all underpinned by effective use of the resources available.

“The matrix Standard is designed to benchmark organisations against best practice in these areas. With their accreditation success, Aspire to Be is working to provide the best possible support to their clients.”

Commenting on the award, Tina Rafferty, programme manager of Aspire to Be, said: “Our Aspire to Be team really are experts in this field. They have built a strong reputation for both supporting people with the challenges they face and working with employers to break down any barriers so to have received the matrix accreditation is testament to their commitment and work we are doing to support people in this region into valuable employment.

“We are really pleased to now be accredited at this high standard and are looking forward to building on this in the future.”

For more information about the matrix Standard please visit: www.matrixStandard.com

For more information about Aspire to Be please visit: www.deaf-trust.co.uk/employability/aspire-to-be/ or email: tina.rafferty@cscd.ac.uk