Tell us about your organisation, how you started and what you do?
I-Enter skills is a small-scale charity, located in Wolverhampton. Established as a company in 2010, and registered as a charity in 2013, our work focuses on the following services:
- Education Support – basic skills in literacy and numeracy.
- Financial Advice – money management, debt management advice.
- Capacity Building Training – preparing clients to develop essential soft skills for life: confidence building, assertiveness, negotiation and decision making.
Main activities
Over the years since its creation in March 2010, I-Enter skills has developed a Job and Business Preparation Support Mentoring Service. We provide information, advice, and training for the communities in Wolverhampton to gain access or move closer to, further training, self-employment or paid employment markets.
What has been your greatest achievement?
In 2011 we delivered a project through a grant from the National Lottery’s Awards for All. Since then, I-Enter Skills has received European Social Fund (ESF) and successfully delivered projects in 2012, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022.
Over the past 12 years, we have raised more than £200,000 for our business mentees through our networking with the Institute of Enterprise and Entrepreneurs and British Business Banking.
What is your experience of support received from WVSC?
Our first point of contact is WVSC. We’ve had support in finding the right kind of funding and support in developing the right policies and procedures. WVSC redacted the first draft of our constitution and provided support for the charity registration process.
What is the most valuable lesson you have learnt about working with people in Wolverhampton?
It’s a city full of incredibly diverse people and even though it gets bad press, it’s an amazing place to live and work.
What are some of the challenges you face and how can WVSC help to support your organisation in the future?
Funding constraints and discriminatory behaviour from some funders toward grassroots minority organizations.
Where can we find out more?
Contact: Dr. Desire Mutumba – I-Enter Skills
Email: infos@intelligentskills.org.uk
Would you like to be featured in our Voluntary Sector Focus? Contact Sharon Nanan-Sen on snanan-sen@wolverhamptonvsc.org.uk for more info!