Going the Extra Mile − a GEM of a project

  31st March 2021

Co-ordinated by Gloucestershire Gateway Trust and led by Gloucestershire County Council, the GEM Project is a social inclusion programme aimed at moving disadvantaged groups closer to the labour market, training and education. The project gets its name from ‘Going the Extra Mile’ (GEM) and is funded by the European Social Fund and The National Lottery Community Fund.

Since its start in 2016, the programme has engaged 1,668 participants, of which 429 have moved into paid employment and 148 moved into education and training.

On-going monitoring and evaluation of the project by the University of Gloucestershire, has revealed a range of positive, and often life-changing outcomes for the vast majority of participants, most notably in improving their personal and motivational attributes and through removing barriers to the provision of advice and support. Prepared by the University’s GEM Monitoring and Evaluation Team, a detailed report of the project’s latest achievements is now available online for all to read. You can find out more on the university website.