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Gateway Family Services

Changing Lives, Changing Services.
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Volunteer training – four weeks on Posted on by

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Four weeks ago, we wrote about the latest group of volunteers to start at Gateway under the EAST (Employment Access Skills and Training) programme. Now, having completed their volunteer training, our newcomers are starting to get out and about, working with people in the community who are isolated and need a friend.

One of the new volunteers is Corinne Gooden. She already works full time at a library – and it was here that she saw a poster for the befriender programme.

“I’ve been working towards a new career path for a while,” she explains. “I graduated in Communications in 2008, but it was the sociology and psychology parts of the course that really interested me. So that’s the direction I’m taking now.

“I recently completed a counselling course and I saw Gateway’s volunteering scheme as the ideal opportunity to back it up with some work experience.”

All 20 EAST volunteers started their placement with a week’s induction, followed by volunteer training, and are now working on their accredited Employability course. The course continues whilst they are out supporting clients so they can provide evidence-based work to support their portfolio.

But for Gateway’s volunteers, it’s about gaining more than just certificates.

“Gateway’s training prepares you for this type of work practically, but also emotionally,” says Corinne. “We’ve covered things like confidentiality, equality and diversity, but also how to prepare ourselves mentally for this type of work. We’ve learned how to step back and think about why a client might be acting in a particular way. And we’ve done a lot of work on boundaries; how to listen and empathise whilst maintaining a professional distance.”

Last week, Corinne spent a day shadowing one of the Pregnancy Outreach Workers. They visited a young mother living in a hostel with her six week old baby – a situation that might be quite emotionally charged for someone that wasn’t ready. But Corinne felt prepared and found the visit very positive as it was clear the woman was getting good support.

“I am feeling more and more confident about this sort of work now,” says Corinne. “I’ve already learnt a lot in the short time I’ve been with Gateway, and the practical experience is invaluable.”

Khan Thought He Had All The Experience and Qualifications Needed to get a Job in England Posted on by

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Khan came to the UK to live with his wife but he came on as a visitor visa so he had to go back to Pakistan.  Eventually he got a spouse visa but it didn’t take him long to realise  that job prospects were not what he thought they were.  His wife was friends with my wife and she made a referral to me because she knew I was an employment advisor.

Khan has a lot of work experience and qualifications but they are not recognised here, a Masters in Pakistan is the same as an Honours degree in England.  He has looked for work outside of his field because he knew that he wouldn’t get the type of work that he has done previously.  In Pakistan he was a teacher and here he had been self employed selling sports goods but the competition was too big.

Khan’s wife was working and supporting the family inspite of her health problems.  Khan now needed to take over and be the main breadwinner.

Khan did not have a CV or references.  I told him that working culture is different in England and we need to start with a CV.  Khan was confident that he had all the experience he needed and would not need help with interviews etc.

At the first Interview Skills Workshop Khan’s eyes were opened to the way things are done in this country and afterwards told me that he would never have passed an interview in a hundred years if he hadn’t done the workshop.

To get references he agreed to do some voluntary work at the QE through Gateway and he got all the training that went with the volunteering job.  He now has something to put on his CV and he has now got a job in a factory.  It is not what he wanted but he is bringing home a wage and supporting his family.

Getting people ready to work Posted on by

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Finding a job at the moment is tough for a lot of people, tougher still if you have few qualifications or are lacking experience in the world of  work so we understand that many people need help to overcome the barriers and fears that they may have in stepping into the unknown.

Shamana joined one of our Employability Courses this year when she was struggling to find work. Initially overwhelmed by the thought of going back to training, especially as she thought she was a bit older than the average learner,  Shamana tells us how she was made to feel comfortable in her course while being offered the support and guidance to help herself become more ready for work and confident in her own abilities at the same time.

We currently have more courses running that can help you develop your work readiness, CV or even just your confidence. They are free to join and normally in your local area.

If you are aged 24 and under and would like to know more about our courses then please contact Chelsea Gaffey on chelsea.gaffey@gatewayfs.org or phone on 0121 456 7820