Warwickshire County Council’s Multiply programme aims to support adults who do not have a GCSE grade C or equivalent in maths.
The Multiply programme supports people to boost their confidence and ability in maths skills, helping them to use maths and numbers effectively in daily life, at home and at work.
Bethen is a single parent and attended the Money, Money, Maths workshops in Rugby to build her confidence and improve her money management. With many people continuing to face increased costs of living having the knowledge and skills to manage budgets is a useful tool to help navigate these challenges.
Through the course Bethen was able to use the skills she learned to help reduce her utility bills, support her budgeting and improve her confidence cooking and using recipes meaning she has been able to save money on food and reduce food waste.
Speaking about the first workshop which focused on saving money on bills, Bethen said:
“I had been using the same utility suppliers for a long time, I hadn’t realised I was able to shop around for a better deal due to the prices constantly rising. When I looked into it, I was able to change my electricity supplier and save myself £15 per month”
The second workshop focused on saving money on food, reducing waste and healthy eating. Bethen continued:
“During this workshop we spoke about Community Larders, where they are and how we can access them. We also tried out different recipes using staple ingredients typically available from Community Larders and how we can make these go further including tips on using these ingredients in a range of meals. The recipes were great, my son loves them, which is always a bonus as they’re filling and a great way to get some extra vegetables into his meals.”
“For the final workshop we spoke about budgeting and using the information from the previous two workshops to build a new budget. I was able to use this to create my own budget for our household.”
Bethen concluded:
“The overall course has been great. The workshops are a helpful way to break down the information into manageable chunks so you can make it work for you. It was a really welcoming, laid back and friendly environment and I would recommend this course to anyone who is dealing with a bit of hardship or even just wants some advice on areas where they could cut back.”
Councillor Martin Watson, portfolio holder for Economy, said:
“The Multiply programme offers a range of free courses suitable for anyone who wants to build their confidence in maths. The course is aimed at adults who do not have a GCSE grade C/4 or equivalent in maths, but anyone looking to boost their skills is welcome to attend our courses.
“They’re delivered across the county and are available both online and face-to-face to provide options so people can attend around their existing commitments. Whether you want budgeting skills, want to boost your confidence or develop yourself at work, there are a range of options to support you.”
To find out more about the Multiply programme and the range of free courses available, visit warwickshire.gov.uk/multiply
For more information and advice on cost-of-living support in Warwickshire visit: www.costoflivingwarwickshire.co.uk/
The Multiply programme is available across Warwickshire to support adults (aged 19+) who do not currently have a GCSE grade C/4 or equivalent in maths.
The Multiply programme is part of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and is funded by investment from the Department of Education.