For many BME (Black and Minority Ethnic) women in Greater Manchester, barriers to employment are not just about lack of jobs — they’re about confidence, opportunity, and visibility. From cultural expectations to limited experience or language challenges, many women remain stuck in cycles of dependence or isolation.
Dynamic Support of Greater Manchester is addressing this challenge through hands-on, community-based skills training and employment support programs. These initiatives are helping women build futures — one skill, one session, one success at a time.
Key Program Areas
H5: Practical, Localised Training
Dynamic Support focuses on offering skill-building in areas that are culturally familiar, locally relevant, and practically useful.
- Catering and food hygiene certification
- Basic bookkeeping and business planning
- Event management and stall setup
- Digital skills: using phones, emails, and social media for business
- Customer service training for markets and fairs
Each session is held in community centres or familiar locations, and taught in a supportive environment with interpreters or peer mentors when needed.
H5: Confidence-Building as a Core Outcome
It’s not just about the hard skills — it’s about helping women believe in themselves.
- Group discussions and self-esteem workshops
- Leadership role rotation during events
- Real-world exposure through community stalls
- One-on-one mentoring from experienced women entrepreneurs
These soft skills are what ultimately lead to long-term independence.
H5: Flexible, Family-Friendly Models
Knowing the constraints that mothers and carers face, Dynamic Support makes sure programs are:
- Scheduled during school hours
- Childcare-supported during major sessions
- Short-term and modular for easier access
- Open to women with no formal education or work history
The result is a more inclusive model — where no woman feels left behind.
A Real Success Story: Zainab’s Journey
Zainab, a 37-year-old mother of four from Sudan, moved to Manchester in 2020. She spoke little English, had never worked outside the home, and suffered from postnatal depression. Through word of mouth, she joined a basic food hygiene course hosted by Dynamic Support.
From there, she trained in cooking safety, joined the barbecue team, learned basic sales English, and eventually led a small catering project for a school fundraiser. Today, Zainab is planning to register her own small food business, supported by Dynamic Support’s enterprise mentor program.
“I thought I had nothing to offer. Now I know I have skills. And I have sisters who believe in me,” she says.
Measurable Impact (2021–2024)
The results of Dynamic Support’s skills and employment initiatives speak for themselves.
| Training Area | Participants Trained | Women Employed or Self-Employed | Retention/Progression Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catering and Food Safety | 115 | 52 | 80% |
| Digital Literacy | 98 | 30 | 68% |
| Market Event Sales & Customer Skills | 83 | 41 | 75% |
| Business Planning for Micro-Startups | 42 | 19 | 85% |
H5: Additional Outcomes
- 85% reported increased confidence after training
- 70% developed new income streams within 3 months
- 90% said they would recommend the program to others
What’s Next for Skills & Employment Support
Dynamic Support is currently expanding its employment pathways with:
- A women-led cooperative kitchen unit for training and events
- Partnerships with local employers for inclusive hiring
- Entrepreneurship seed funding for micro-businesses
- A multi-language toolkit on navigating self-employment in the UK
The aim is simple: help BME women create jobs, not just seek them.
Skill-building is more than vocational — it’s transformational. With the right support, BME women in Greater Manchester are discovering their talents, stepping into work, and reshaping their futures with confidence.
Dynamic Support isn’t just teaching women how to cook, sell, or speak in public. It’s helping them build independence, dignity, and possibility.
Every trained hand, every confident voice, every small business launched — it’s one more future reclaimed.
