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ork & Learning Shop
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W ork & Learning Shop
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Aim The Work & Learning Shop is a friendly community based project, which provides considerable help and support in all aspects of clients search for work including Careers Information, Advice and Guidance. This may include people who are looking for a job, returning to work, looking for a new direction, or seeking further training/ studying opportunities for personal development. The project operates on an informal drop-in basis, meeting individual client’s needs, and is open to anyone aged 20 years and above. Facilities Our extensive facilities include, computers (which have recently been upgraded with the donation and match funding received from VT Group Charity and Portsmouth City Council) with internet access to find courses and work opportunities, word processing, telephone/fax, computer aided guidance packages, free stationery and postage, plus local and national newspapers, access to NARIC (National Academic Recognition Information Centre) database which provides details of British equivalents of qualifications gained abroad, as well as specialist recruitment journals, and information signposting to a network of other statutory and voluntary agencies. A team of facilitators are on hand to help with CV’s, job application forms, information and advice on local labour market and training or education opportunities. There is also provision for clients to obtain careers guidance from specialist adult careers guidance advisors. with an ever increasing emphasis being put on flexible learning, and professional development the Work & Learning Shop project is ideally placed to open up wider opportunities for people to access both learning and job search facilities to suit them.
Management and Staffing The project is overseen by the IAG Manager of Nextstep (Hampshire & the Isle of Wight), which is part of VT Careers Management Southern with funding from GOSE (European Social Fund) and Nextstep, plus additional discretionary funding from Jobcentre Plus and Portsmouth City Council. The delivery team for the project consists of one full-time Project Manager/Lead Facilitator - Mohammed Khan, and three Facilitators Malcolm Short, Mollie Wearn and Jo Sharman, two of whom are part-time, with two additional members of staff - Graham Allen and Garth Royle offering the careers guidance service. Our Place in Buckland In January this has been our 10th year based at Buckland Community Centre, although originally it was envisaged to be a short term project that filled a gap in provision locally. This is a big boost to the local community who access our services, and are not necessarily eligible to access alternative adult provision. We are proud to be part of this thriving and active community centre, and this is largely thanks to the immense support we have received over the years from our clients, the management team of the centre including Eddie Salt, as well as the staff who have always believed in the project and the service that we offer. We operate out of Room 4, five days per week, Monday - Friday 9.00am -3.30pm. The project is quite unique and it is important that the community continues to be supported in this way, as it is clearly meeting the needs of a large number of vulnerable adults. Activities With our current round of funding from ESF and Nextstep, we can now see a greater number of clients, with people from all parts of Portsmouth and the surrounding areas accessing the facility at Buckland Community Centre regardless of geographical boundary restrictions, as was the case in the previous funding from SRB. However funding for the project, as with any other project of this type continues to be an issue which arises every year. The management team are looking at sourcing further funding to continue offering the services of the project to the Buckland and wider Portsmouth communities.
Clients The statistics listed below refer to the information from April 2005 - March 2006. During this period 105 clients secured permanent employment through our support/intervention. This figure is solely based on those clients who have informed of their job outcome, no doubt there are others who have gone on to secure employment opportunities. With many more entering temporary work, self -employment, training and education. In total we have had 1141 individuals access the Work & Learning Shop project for IAG services in this twelve month period. This was made up of a broad mix of clients from a variety of ethnic backgrounds, which is representative of the diverse communities within Portsmouth. We have seen a larger number of clients from Poland and other east European countries, who are arriving on a regular basis to the city looking for employment opportunities in the UK. This is part of a national trend due to the economic migration which is taking place because of new member states within the EU. Feedback from clients remains positive, with some being amazed that this drop-in facility was even available, and all for free. Some comments from a few of our many clients who completed our satisfaction survey: Question. Can you make any suggestions how we can improve our service? “All staff very helpful, friendly and always willing to give advice” “ I would not even consider giving a negative comment, you helped me so much” “Better advertising. I had never heard of the service until the jobcentre mentioned it to me. I went in order to gain help in writing a CV. I am very happy with the help that I received and the resulting CV” “”I was unaware that free careers advice for adults was available”
September 2006 Mohammed Khan Manager Work & Learning Shop Buckland Community Centre Tel: 02392 650591 Fax: 02392 668944 Email:mohammed.khan@vtplc.com |
