About LAT : The Crossroads Project

"It would be impossible for me to overstate the effect that Crossroads has had not only on my life, but upon the lives of those close to me."

Quote from an Crossroads client.

Overview

Crossroads logoThe Crossroads Project provides a key step that enables clients to improve educational attainment, and to gain relevant skills to access further training and enhance their employment opportunities.

Client Group

On average, the project has 400 new referrals each year. In addition to new referrals they have at least 250 clients attending annually.Recent research suggests that:

  • 70% of all ex-offenders in the Boroughs of Lewisham and Greenwich have no qualifications
  • 52% have identifiable literacy and numeracy problems
  • 55% of the total literacy and numeracy beneficiaries are diagnosed as dyslexic
  • 65% have been unemployed for a year or more
  • 30% between the ages of 18 - 24 have never worked

Delivery Area

Crossroads operates in the three boroughs of Lewisham, Beckenham, Greenwich.

Partners

Crossroads works in partnership with the South London & Maudsley NHS Trust, London Probation, Job Centre Plus and Deptford Challenge Trust. The project is also part of a partnership called From Dependency to Work (D2W) that seeks to assist those who have multiple needs: alcohol and drug dependency, mental health issues and dyslexia.

Provision

Crossroads offers individuals education, training and employment assessment, job preparation, motivational training and careers guidance. The project also provides one to one tuition in literacy, numeracy and basic IT skills.The London Open College Network (LOCN) accredits all Crossroads' services.

The innovative programmes include:

  • Accredited job preparation and motivational training, also LOCN levels entry or 1
  • Comprehensive career guidance and action planning programme
  • Working in partnership with the Dyspel Project Crossroads offers detailed analysis of dyslexia and tuition for clients who need this service
  • Crossroads is part of an FEFC Lewisham College franchise
  • The sole contract holder for service provision to ex-offenders under the Government's New Deal programme
  • Community based initiatives for young people at risk
  • Job placements for offenders to reintegrate them back into employment
  • Providing Basic Skills modules up to NVQ Entry Level 2, which will alsoenable the delivery of New Curriculum as recommended by the Basic Skills Agency

Achievements

  • A significant number of offenders moved into employment
  • Delivery of Employment Link Project with in work qualification scheme
  • Development of volunteer placement programme between Crossroads and Goldsmith University

Future Developments

  • Career advancement courses for offenders to train as basic skills tutors
  • Development of an accredited volunteer programmes as a pathway into employment
  • Expand the Life Skills programmes with the NHS Trust
  • Developing more muliti-agency programmes

Contact Details

For further information on Crossroads, please contact Karen Brooke, Director of Service Delivery, by email karen.brooke@lat.org.uk or telephone 020 7793 0842
last updated 6 September, 2006 another website by cwndesign