Parents and carers have improved their confidence and job prospects, thanks to a new personal development programme called Moving On.

The first 14 people to complete the course - including 13 mothers and one grandmother - received their certificates at a presentation ceremony at the Lyric Hammersmith on Tuesday (6 July).

The Moving On programme encourages parents and carers to play a greater role in their community and sharpen their writing, speaking, administration and computer skills.

Sessions during the seven-week, part-time course include 'getting your voice heard', 'getting it down on paper' and 'computers don't bite'. Advice and guidance on how to prepare a CV and get into volunteering or paid work are also provided.

Moving On is run by the council's adult education service and Hammersmith & Fulham Volunteer Development Agency (HFVDA) for parents and carers who use services provided by Sure Start Broadway, one of three government-funded programmes in the borough to improve the lives and well-being of children under four and their families. The Moving On sessions take place at Sure Start Broadway's headquarters, in Brook Green, Hammersmith.

Several women who took the course are now enrolled on an introduction to childcare course or are getting involved in helping to run the Sure Start Broadway programme, which provides a range of childcare, health, advice and family support services. The adult education service and HFVDA are in the process of planning a further Moving On course for Sure Start Broadway.

Moving On students said the course had made a real difference to their outlook and opportunities.

Mother-of-two Charlotte Kweku, 22, from Hammersmith, said: "It was great. It helped me to refresh and advance my skills and I am now taking a computer course and an administration course at the local further education college so that I can return to the kind of career I was in before I had the children."

Navasher Alexander, 25, from Hammersmith, who also has two young children, said: "The course has given me the incentive to do some voluntary work for Sure Start Broadway and look for paid work. It has also helped me to find out what benefits I can claim when I do go back to work."

Charlene Edwards, Sure Start Broadway programme manager, said: "The course has been really successful at building the confidence and skills of the parents and carers who took part. Several of them are moving on to further training or getting involved in helping us to deliver better services for families in central Hammersmith. We are keen to establish a thriving parents' forum so that more parents or carers can make their views heard on our partnership board."

Education deputy, Cllr David Williams, who gave the women their course certificates during the presentation at the Lyric Hammersmith, said: "Moving On is a valuable way to engage parents and carers who are keen to get back into work or get more involved in their community. For many parents the skills they developed whilst a school are out of date so it is a big worry for them to get back into further education or jobs. I admire the way they have all stuck with this course, which is a really good example of how local organisations can work together to help residents to broaden their horizons, improve their motivation and skills and meet other people."