In a unique endeavour to respond to the root causes of poverty, Goldstar is developing an innovative employability and soft skills programme, aimed initially at disadvantaged young women aged 16-24.

Many young women entering the workforce are equipped with the hard skills needed, but lack the professional soft skills needed to succeed. This niche sector has been struggling to find culturally appropriate, gender-specific training to enhance their skills and enable them to advance in the workplace.

What are soft skills?  As opposed to hard skills, these primarily relate to personal attributes.  They can be difficult to measure or evaluate and it is easy to underestimate their importance.  They can sometimes be referred to as life skills. Soft skills are indispensable in order to forge a successful role in the workplace and to create and maintain healthy and fulfilling relationships with others and with oneself.

The Goldstar Employability and Soft Skills Programme was created to fill this gap, and promote equality in provision of training.

With the launch of our ILM-accredited Train the Trainers programme in 2021, our first cohort of trainers has received over 100 hours of academic and practical training. The result is that a team of 20 dynamic facilitators from across the UK have now acquired the skills to deliver the Goldstar programme.

Looking ahead, our goal is to expand the programme, making it available to all women, including those in other BAME communities. The Goldstar Programme will also be available for volunteers, NEET, the unemployed, and those already currently employed seeking to upskill themselves.

We have now secured ATHE endorsement of our training course.