Inspire 2 Independence (I2i)

Inspire 2 Independence (i2i) was founded in 2004 on the University of York campus. It was here that five directors, experienced in helping individuals back into sustainable employment, set up the first i2i centres in the West Midlands and the North West. Since then, a rapidly growing team of Heads of Department, Performance Improvement Managers, Centre Managers, Regional Skills Managers and delivery staff have opened centres in Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Yorkshire & Humber and the Black Country - establishing a strong reputation with high standards of delivery and job outcomes. They deliver a fully integrated employment and skills service, which specialises in helping people back to work and providing employers with recruitment solutions and staff training. They work with a broad spectrum of clients - from the jobless to employers wishing to develop their workforce. Since 2011, i2i has delivered the Government’s Work Programme across the West Midlands and North of England in partnership with a number of Prime Contractors. Their teams work hard to successfully help unemployed people back into sustainable employment - giving them the support and training they need in order for them to enjoy rewarding and sustainable careers. For the last eleven years i2i has delivered qualifications to the employed such as Train to Gain and apprenticeships. They currently hold a direct contract with the Skills Funding Agency to deliver apprenticeships and accredited qualifications to the unemployed. Through this work, i2i has also helped hundreds of businesses to up-skill their workforce by working closely with employers to understand the skills needs of their staff. By identifying the appropriate training programmes, i2i assessors deliver a range of qualifications including retail, business administration, customer service and team leading across five regions (North East, North West, West Midlands, East Midlands and Yorkshire & Humber). These qualifications are designed to support any internal development or training and help to add value to any learner. In February 2012, the company celebrated the launch of the i2i Life Foundation, which is the charitable arm of i2i. The i2i Life Foundation was set up to improve the lives of disadvantaged young people through the provision of physical and educational activity. The charity works with 7-18-year-olds to develop their skills and capabilities – with the aim of helping them to participate in society as independent, mature and responsible individuals. The journey has been an exhilarating one for everyone involved in the growth of the company. From an initial team of ten, i2i has grown to a workforce of almost 400 employees across 14 centres, and is now firmly established as a major Welfare to Work and Skills provider and a contributor to the employment and up-skilling of their national workforce.

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