A KIDDERMINSTER Library project to help local residents with their personal development has been awarded a grant of £5,000.

The project, titled Taking Charge of Your Life, is being delivered in partnership with Relate Counselling.

The library will run three Relate-accredited courses for 30 individuals throughout the coming months, providing those who struggle to gain or retain employment due to low self-esteem and confidence with support.

Time management, stress recognition and ways to overcome it, how to deal with setbacks and employment activities are all part of the course.

Library staff will also be giving talks about how it can help the lives of people who need the Relate support by providing a variety of reading material.

The money was provided by Worcestershire County Council's Community Learning Trust to help the library set up the project.

It is one of 12 county-based organisations to receive funds after being selected by a panel of sixth form students from Stratford-upon-Avon School.

The panel was supported through the selection process by a libraries and learning member of staff.

County councillor Lucy Hodgson, cabinet member for localism and communities, said: “The Community Learning Trust is all about giving adults access to community learning and particularly new opportunities, which can help improve lives.

“It's also about supporting the learning providers that can make this happen.

“I am really pleased to see that such a diverse range of projects has been selected this year.”

The money is part of a £105,000 external grant given to the trust by the Government’s Skills Funding Agency.