Case Studies

• Resident case study
• Business case study
• Work-placement host case study

Nasreen

Background
Nasreen had never had a paid job because she had been very busy as a full-time mum to her five kids. With her children growing up she felt that it was the right time to start focussing on developing a career. Nasreen took her approach to employment very seriously and had already been at college for two years. However, she was concerned that without some real experience of the workplace she would not get a job at the end of her college course.

Approach
To overcome her lack of work experience and to give her a better chance of getting a job at the end of her course, Nasreen took part in a volunteering programme run by Haringey Association of Voluntary and Community Organisations (HAVCO), who placed her in a local community group. Funded by the Haringey Guarantee, the HAVCO Volunteering Centre works in partnership with the North London Partnership Consortium – another local charity – to help local people to ease their way back into employment through volunteering and short term placements within a number of local organisations.

Outcome
Through volunteering, Nasreen has been able to put into practice many of the skills she learnt at College. Her experience has been very positive and she told us:

“I’ve had the chance to make use of many of the skills I learned at college - including working on spreadsheets, word processing and sending emails. It has been just like a proper job and I am sure it will help me get a job at the end of my course.”

Update
Following the completion of her placement, the centre where she volunteered was so impressed with Nasreen and her work that they recently offered her a part-time job doing office administration. This job offers Nasreen a good level of pay along with the flexibility to continue studying towards her AAT accountancy exams which she will complete this summer.

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Robert

Background

Robert had almost completed a 2 year course in Carpentry at CoNEL. He was doing well on his course, but had no experience of employment. He had never attended an interview and he didn’t know how to approach employers or what they would expect from him in the workplace. He also had little idea how to speak or act professionally as he had really only ever communicated with his friends.

Approach

Robert received one-to-one support and guidance from Hyacinth, his dedicated advisor at Positive Employment. Hyacinth helped Robert to understand that in order to succeed with his job-search, he would need to talk and act more professionally. Over a number of months, Robert was able to adapt his attitude and communication to better meet employers’ expectations and received training in interview technique and how to approach employers and dress professionally.

Outcome

When Robert passed his NVQ2 in Carpentry with Merit, Hyacinth started marketing Robert to employers, and secured him an interview with a Tottenham based specialist furniture company. Though the company was not actively looking to recruit anybody, they agreed to interview Robert and were so impressed with his attitude and enthusiasm that they offered him a position as a Trainee Carpenter. Robert commenced work mid October 07.

Update

Robert is still working with the same company, and is genuinely happy to be there. He told us “I love the work. They’re good people I work for and they like me”.

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Eurotech

The Organisation
Eurotech is a security organisation providing a range of services from home security, key holding systems to on-site patrol and CCTV monitoring operations for a number of national based clients. Eurotech have been working with At Work for the past 2 years and have taken on a large number of permanent staff from local and surrounding areas through them. Candidates have been placed in a range of positions as call centre representatives, night operations, security controllers, alarm response officers, security patrol officers and administrative assistants.

Their Feedback

“The Haringey Guarantee has proved a reliable and cost-effective solution to our recruitment needs, placing skilled and unskilled local candidates into a wide range of roles within our company. The service has given us access to a previously un-tapped source of local staff who benefit from the support offered by the scheme, and it has, in turn, been of huge benefit to us.

The Haringey Guarantee has provided us with a large number of permanent candidates over the past 2 years and has proved an invaluable and frequently used resource in helping us to build a sustainable, reliable work force.”

Eurotech Security, Wood Green

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Gladesmore Education and Training Trust (GETT)

The Organisation
Gladesmore Education and Training Trust works to help the local community to gain skills and confidence to obtain employment and participate in their community. Work placement volunteers have been involved in a range of activities to support the work of the Trust, including: publicising courses, recruiting more participants, exploring local people’s training and educational needs and working to secure further funding for the organisation.

Their Feedback

“NLPC have been an invaluable business partner and resource for the provision of volunteers on structured work placements. Working with NLPC and their volunteers has been a cost effective and expedient way of solving my shortage in personnel. These work placements have helped me get things done and keep the business going at critical times and crucial moments. Consequently they have been pivotal to the success and development of my business project.

Over the last year, I have engaged 26 NLPC volunteers: a third of them have gained employment; another third have gone on to further studies and the rest are using the experience they gained with us to improve their skills and job prospects.

Therefore each of us (NLPC, GETT and the beneficiaries) have benefited from this partnership.”

Thea Charles, Gladesmore Education and Training Trust (GETT)

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