Hello, my name is Annette and I started working at Providence Row in May this year as Enterprise and Training Coordinator. My last job was at a local authority supporting families that were furthest away from the labour market into employment. I felt that I could put my experience and qualifications in Information and Guidance to good use within the homeless sector and so applied for this job - only just making the deadline! And I’m really glad I did.
It has already been so rewarding – I am helping people to progress into other voluntary and training opportunities as well as helping them with their employability skills, job applications and getting their CVs looking smart and focused. Getting people back into employment can be a really hard task, but one I’m sure I’ll be able to do despite there being lots of obstacles.
The biggest barrier I’ve come across is not that clients don’t want to work, but that they are terrified of getting a job and then not being able to pay their rent and ending up back on the streets again! I’m determined to make sure they get the right support and the right information so that they become ready to take the next step to improve their lives.
I am currently running a weekly Job Club where people can get one to one support to search for work. I have also been running Working On It – a series of employability workshops that are always well attended. My role is to ensure that the people we work with see an ‘outcome’ from their work and involvement with the programme – even coming along to the classes we run is an ‘outcome’. We want people to achieve, and by coming along to the schemes here and gaining an accreditation they not only have something new to put on their CV they also gain valuable experience. All of this makes them more job ready.
Small steps are just as important as big outcomes and our team has supported clients into volunteering opportunities such as a City Farm and a Peer Advocacy project. We also have a great relationship with the 5* Andaz Liverpool Street Hotel (part of the Hyatt group) where we support trainees to attend workshops as part of the trainee scheme as well as longer-term work placements.
I have been made to feel really welcome here and am so I’m pleased to have made the move. I feel a bit like I’m coming ‘home’ having previously worked in the voluntary sector and also having been brought up locally in Hoxton! The staff are really friendly and so dedicated to helping the people who come to the centre. I still have a lot to learn, but I’m getting there!