November 02, 2016
|By aissagallie
|
As well as secure housing, a vital element to sustainable, independent living is employment. For people who have been homeless or have a history of offending, getting into work can prove to be a huge challenge. Our Foundation Leeds team have been working hard with local employers to create programs of support and apprenticeships that offer the chance for our customers to get into employment. The programs are developed individually with the Leeds team and employers and are set at different levels of skill and engagement, to suit the varying needs of our customers.
The programs are typically around 12 weeks long. Whilst some are just to give work experience and enhance employability skills, others offer the chance of moving into permanent employment once the program is completed. The Foundation team work with their customers to assess suitability for the programs and prepare for interview and selection. Once a customer is successfully in place, both employers and the Foundation customer have regular contact with the customer’s Support Worker. This can help with building motivation and confidence, as well as nipping any problems in the bud as they may arise.
Not all placements are successful, with some customers unable to complete the program. However, there is a good record of success, building on the perseverance and passion of the Leeds team and their customers. Here the team report on some recent success stories:
Trish – Foundation customer on placement with The Bayford Foundation
‘Trish is our first placement with the Bayford Foundation. This is call centre work with the chance to progress through to the sales team after six months if good progress is being made. Nik from Bayford informed us last week that he is delighted with Trish after approximately three weeks working at Bayford. Trish informs us that she is loving the job, so things are looking good! Thanks to Sue Jones (Housing Support Worker in Leeds) who has supported Trish to obtain this position.’
Kerry – Foundation customer on placement with Pret a Manger
‘Kerry is working in one of the Pret shops in Leeds as an apprentice and has done so for five weeks. She has had good feedback, with the shop manager stating that ‘Kerry is proving a real asset to our team’. Well done Kerry!’
The Leeds team are also meeting Timpsons later this month, to discuss working in partnership with Foundation as an employer referral avenue.
If you are an employer, local to Leeds or to any of our other project areas, and you would like to find out more about how you can offer someone a chance to return to employment, please contact Foundation’s Communications and Campaign Manager, Aissa Gallie at aissa.gallie@foundationuk.org