Stockport Progress And Recovery Centre (SPARC)

26/07/2025

🍳 We’re hiring! Could you be the heart of our kitchen at the Stockport Connect Hub?

We’re on the lookout for a part-time Cook (20 hours a week, Mon–Fri) to join our friendly team at Café Connect, based at our Stockport Hub.
💷 £12.60 per hour
📍 SK2 6RE
🕚 Lunchtime hours, Mon to Fri – no late nights!

The café is more than just a place to grab a bite – it’s a safe, welcoming space for people accessing our recovery and prevention service, as well as the wider community. Serving good food with good vibes, and we’re looking for someone who shares our values and passion for people.

If you’ve got experience in a busy kitchen, love getting creative with your cooking, and want to work somewhere that really makes a difference, we’d love to hear from you!

💛 Kind hearts and big smiles welcome
🧼 Hygiene and food safety know-how essential
🎓 Training, support, and opportunities to grow included!
👉 Find out more and apply here: https://careers-makingspace.icims.com/jobs/2317/cook---stockport-connect-hub/job

26/07/2025

🌟 We're Hiring! 🌟
Beacon Counselling is recruiting for various roles in our team!

We are looking for a friendly, organised Appointments Administrator
📍 Part-time roles (15 & 20 hrs/week)
🕒 Flexible shifts between 8:45am–9:15pm
💼 £24,570 pro rata
✅ Admin experience needed
✅ Compassionate, clear communicator
✅ Great with detail & data
🗓️ Deadline: 5pm, Thurs 7th August 2025

We are also looking for an enthusiastic Youth Engagement Worker
📍 Part-time roles (17.5 hrs/week)
🕒 Flexible hours but must include Tuesdays and Thursdays, 4pm to 7pm.
💼 £26,481 pro rata
✅ Experience of delivering support to 11 to 17 year-olds
✅ Experience of devising and delivering group interventions
✅ Good understanding of the challenges young people face
🗓️ Deadline: 9am, Mon 11th August 2025

📧 Apply by sending your CV & cover letter to carmen@beacon-counselling.org.uk

More info: https://www.charityjob.co.uk/organisation/beacon-counselling

25/07/2025

Sadly Sparc closed its doors at Progress House today. We had a lovely walk and had a group sing along in the local park. It was a lovely way to end something that has been so very special for many years. Sparc staff will be available for telephone calls up to and including Wednesday the 30th July. The centre will then be having work completed for the start of a new era of the Stockport Connect Hub.
The Sparc team wish all of our members nothing but the best of things, good health, friendship and happiness. Please take care and look after each other.

25/07/2025

Sparc Members; info and updates regarding the new service will be available on the Stockport Connect Hub FB site.

💜We were thrilled to meet so many people from the current Stockport Progress And Recovery Centre (SPARC) service at today’s 'Getting to Know Each Other Co-production Welcome Day'💜

A huge thank you to everyone at SPARC for making us feel so at home. We’re really looking forward to working together and continuing to support mental health and wellbeing in Stockport.

To anyone already receiving support – please be reassured that you can expect the same warm welcome in familiar surroundings.

We’re already excited for our next event in August – more details coming very soon!

22/07/2025

Calling SPARC Members.

As you may know SPARC will be leaving Progress House very soon and Making Space will be carrying on the services here at Progress House. On Thursday this week Making Space will be coming to Progress House to host an introduction session where they will be able to answer your questions and provide information about some of the new opportunities that will be available.

The session will take place on Thursday 24th July between 12 and 2.

20/07/2025

Before Sparc moves on to pastures new and the workload of the next couple of weeks takes over we just want to thank the wonderful local businesses who have supported us on our journey over the years. In particular we want to mention;
APH for much needed IT support,
Northwest Digital for our office equipment, printing and so much more,
Cornerstone HR who help us navigate all our employment requirements and the posh diaries,
Gravitas Outcome Services for our wonderful database, help and advice on GDPR and just for being them,
Janome Uk for donation of sewing machines.

All the above companies have helped our charity navigate all our business requirements, they have given their time and advice and helped us with many fundraising endeavours. So huge, huge thanks to you all.
Many other local shops and businesses have also supported our fundraising with kind donations of prizes especially those in the local area of Davenport, Shaw Heath and Cale Green. Sparc's place in the community has been strengthened by all the local action for which we are extremely grateful.
We look forward to working with you in the future as Sparc adapts to the changes and challenges that lie ahead.

17/07/2025

A sad but lovely day today at Sparc. Most of the Sparc team were present to wish our manager Pete all our good wishes as he bids Sparc a fond farewell. What a fabulous team we are!!!!!
There is now only 1 more week to go before Sparc ends its time at Progress House but the care, support and all the memories will remain. The team wish our members nothing but the best of things and hope that the mutual support shared throughout the service for all these years will be the springboard for future health and happiness.

11/07/2025

06/07/2025

We're hiring! 🙌

We are looking for a Project Support Worker to support and encourage people who have disabilities to participate in meaningful activities, new experiences, and opportunities that will meet their individual needs in the most appropriate ways.

To apply or read more from the job description please head to our website: https://www.pureinnovations.co.uk/job/project-support-worker-2/

05/07/2025

Hi everyone! Who can believe it's July already?! 🌞 Before you get kickstarted with your summer plans, here's our upcoming training for this month:

🎓 Budgeting for Business Owners with Talk About Money CIC [In-person] - 07.07.25 from 11am - 1pm. Learn how to manage your personal finances when you start a business. This workshop covers best practices and legal requirements for separating business and personal finances, budgeting strategies to help you stay in control of spending, and how to recognise whether your idea is financially viable before the panic sets in. Register here: https://lnkd.in/ec_dv8x6

🎓 Meet the Funder: Refugee Welcome Programme - 10.07.25 from 1 - 2:30pm at The Space. An opportunity to go through the criteria for the Refugee Welcome Programme, ask any questions to Nick Hill (Stockport Council) and Vicky Shaw (Sector 3 - Stockport). Register here: https://lnkd.in/e9CzPwQF

🎓 Introduction to Bid writing [In-Person] - 21.07.25 from 10am - 1pm. Are you interested in gaining bid-writing skills or refreshing your knowledge? Our three-hour interactive workshop aims to help you improve your confidence and increase your chances of successful funding bids. Register here: https://lnkd.in/eA587iyj

🤑 The Income Club [Online] - 23.07.25 from 10 - 11am. An informal opportunity for Stockport's VCFSE sector to find out about new funds, share information and network. Register here: https://lnkd.in/eT5FtUca

🎓 Your Methods and Getting Creative about Communicating Your Impact - 23.07.25 from 1 - 2:30pm. Shona Boyle, Lead Analyst at GMCA and Greater Manchester Policy Fellow, will be joining Sector 3 Impact Lead, Sophie Cochrane-Powell to deliver a session on developing a theory of change, data collection methods and creative approaches to reporting and evaluating. Register here: https://lnkd.in/eUef9crG

🎓 AI and Bid writing [In-person] - 29.07.25 from 10am - 11:30am. Join us for a focused 90-minute training session exploring how Artificial Intelligence can support and enhance your bid-writing process. Register here: https://lnkd.in/evicDuaQ

🎓 Being a Better Ally: Practical Inclusion for the LGBT+ Community - 05.08.25 from 10am - 12:30pm. Want to make your organisation truly inclusive for LGBT+ people, but not sure where to start? This interactive and informative session is for you. Led by Stockport organisation, Forward Stockport LGBT+, who will walk you through the foundations of good allyship, from inclusive language and pronouns to a brief history of LGBT+ rights in the UK — helping you understand the "why" as well as the "how". It's a chance to ask questions, challenge assumptions, and explore what real-world support looks like both as an individual and within your organisation. This workshop has tiered pricing for VCFSE organisations or private businesses. Register here: https://lnkd.in/e5b9CRap

Hopefully see you at one of our workshops!
Charlotte 😀

04/07/2025

Our beautiful Acer Tree. I bought this just after we moved into Progress House from Woolworths when it was a tiny twig. Sheltered under the branches of the oak tree it's grown tall and strong with the love and care of the Sparc gardeners. 💚

26/06/2025

We are hiring for a Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner! ⭐

If you're passionate about working with individuals aged 16+ within the framework of Improving Access to Psychological Therapies, with a focus on neurodivergence and learning disabilities then we would love to hear from you...

Please fill out the application form on our website: https://www.pureinnovations.co.uk/job/psychological-wellbeing-practitioner/