KICK START YOUR FUTURE. School Work Experience Opportunities & Application Form

Transcription

1 KICK START YOUR FUTURE School Work Experience Opportunities & Application Form

2 Hello & Welcome Thank you for showing an interest in taking part in the Futures Housing Group (FHG) Kick Start school work experience placement programme and helping to support and enhance the lives of FHG customers living across Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire. About Us FHG is an innovative business which provides more than 9,000 affordable homes throughout the East Midlands. It also owns a social enterprise and coowns a further education provider. We provide around 6,000 homes in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire and around 3,000 homes in Northamptonshire but our ambitious business plan includes the development of more than 1,000 homes for rent, homes for sale, shared ownership and private-market rent. Not only that, but Futures provides excellent housing and support services for our customers and the local community. Futures Greenscape, our grounds maintenance business, is a social enterprise that provides high quality services. It is committed to helping local people get back to work. Access Training, the further education and training provider co-owned by Futures Housing Group, provides a range of on-the-job training across the East Midlands. The award-winning training organisation, which has more than 30 years of success at helping people into employment, has 500 learners on apprenticeships and 120 school pupils undertaking vocational training.

3 Introduction This booklet is designed for students looking to undertake a work experience placement. Work experience has several benefits for students, such as: An opportunity to gain an insight into the world of work; understanding what is expected of employers in terms of attitudes and skills. The chance for students to broaden awareness of potential career options they may not have considered before, and make an informed decision about available options after compulsory education ends. An opportunity for students to gain a greater understanding of any training or education required to success in their preferred career. FHG has successfully supported students on work experience placements for a number of years. As a responsible placement provider we will: Ensure students are supervised throughout their placement. Provide an induction programme, including health and safety instructions. Provide students with a placement programme to manage their expectations of their time with us, and ensure they understand their responsibilities. Communicate with teachers/school staff to update student progress. Support students with any evaluation material they are required to complete. The development of skills such as teamwork, self-initiative and flexibility. In return we expect students to adhere to the relevant FHG policies, remember they are working in a professional environment and endeavor to make a valuable contribution to the team.

4 Work Experience Opportunities FHG offers a variety of work experience for school pupils that will give students an overview and taster of different roles within the company. There are three office bases, one in Ripley and one in Leabrooks, Derbyshire, and another in Daventry, Northamptonshire. FHG can accommodate placements up to one week covering a variety of roles. The core areas in which we can support placements are in the following areas: Neighbourhoods These team members visit customers at their properties, inspect the gardens and communal areas, respond to various enquiries that customers have, and discuss any issues or breaches of tenancy. In this placement, as well as finding out more about what the team members do, you will assist in an administration role scanning and filing documents, sending out formal letters and other relevant tasks. This placement would suit someone who has a commitment to customer care and is a good communicator with people at all levels. Painting & Decorating and General Duties This placement will involve assisting in the clearing and cleaning of voids (empty houses), and undertaking the painting and decorating work needed to the internal and external parts of the properties. The work needs to be completed to an excellent standard, as the team prepare properties to be let out to customers. Please note: for this role you will be required to provide your own steelcapped boots please talk to your school if you do not have these. Finance Our Finance team (Ripley only) is a key part of ensuring that FHG operates effectively on a day to day basis. You will learn about processing payments, managing budgets and ensuring that the accounts of the business are kept up to date.

5 Grounds Maintenance Grounds maintenance operatives assist in the upkeep of communal areas around customer properties. This may involve planting, weeding, sweeping up cuttings, shrubbery management or litter picking. We want our customers to feel proud to live in an FHG neighbourhood, and the grounds maintenance operatives strive to make the areas clean, tidy and inviting. Please note: for this role you will be required to provide your own steelcapped boots please talk to your school if you do not have these. Communications The Communications team is responsible for communicating a variety of important business messages to the public, our customers and employees. This placement would suit a student with a keen interest in social media and ideas of how this can innovatively be used to benefit a business. You will also need to have an excellent quality of written and verbal English language, and be passionate about creatively communicating messages to different groups of people. Customer Services The Customer Services team is the first point of contact for all customer enquiries into the business. This placement will involve listening in on incoming calls to appreciate how to handle queries in an efficient and friendly manner, sorting incoming post into the business and helping on reception. This placement is ideal for a people person, who is looking for a career based in customer service. Independent Living/Support Services Futures have a range of choices to help customers live independently in their homes for longer. Futures offer accommodation and specialist Telecare (Lifeline) equipment to provide peace of mind and to promote good health and wellbeing for customers. The Independent Living and Support Services team visit customers in their homes and work with other agencies to promote and sustain independent living for as long as possible.

6 Finance Our Finance team (Ripley only) is a key part of ensuring that FHG operates effectively on a day to day basis. You will learn about processing payments, managing budgets and ensuring that the accounts of the business are kept up to date. Income Recovery & Money Advice The income recovery team is responsible for collecting overdue rent and giving advice to customers to minimise their debts. The income recovery team work closely with the money advice team, who provide information to customers about how they can maximise their income, access welfare benefits they may not know they are entitled to, manage any debt they owe and budget each month. This placement would suit a student who is potentially looking at financial services or money advice roles. Repairs Surveyor The Surveyors carry out inspections on house repairs and maintenance, deal with customer requests for alterations to properties and work with the repairs team to ensure that homes are maintained to a high standard. This is a great placement for a student who wants a career based out of the office, where every day is different. Please note: for this role you will be required to provide your own steelcapped boots please talk to your school if you do not have these. Development Futures is committed to building new homes, including properties for market rent, shared ownership and affordable housing. Spending time within our development team will enable you to gain valuable insight into some of the processes and plans that are put in place to ensure that housing demand is met. There are a number of different Multi Skilled Operatives who help to maintain and repair our properties. This placement is a great opportunity to see what a day in the life of an operative is like. You would be spending most of your day out and about as well as visiting customer homes. Please note: for this role you will be required to provide your own steelcapped boots please talk to your school if you do not have these.

7 Application Process We accept work experience applications between 1 st September 2016 to 31 st January 2017 to undertake a placement between 1 st March 2017 to 31 st July We are unable to accommodate school work experience placement opportunities outside of these timescales. You will be required to complete the attached application form and submit before the deadline of 31 st January Priority will be given to those students living in Futures Housing Group properties. Applications will be assessed by the Employability and Community Officers and all students will be contacted to undertake a telephone interview as part of the application process. Please state on your application form if you have any additional needs that we need to be aware of to help support you through this process. What happens next? Step 1 Please complete the application form and return it to Futures Housing Group Step 2 Application form assessed by the Employability & Community Team and a telephone interview will be arranged within 10 working days Step 3 Telephone Interview takes place Step 4 Decision made and student informed Equal Opportunities FHG is committed to respecting diversity and eliminating discrimination in both its role as an employer and as a provider of services. FHG aims to create a culture that respects and values each other s differences, that promotes dignity, equality and diversity, and that encourages individuals to develop and maximise their true potential. Step 5 Confirmation letter sent to student and school Step 6 First day letter sent to student and school 30 working days before start of placement A copy of FHG s Equality & Diversity Policy can be made available on request.

8 Guidance for Schools All correspondence will be sent directly to the school as well as to the student. Some roles do require personal protective equipment (PPE), however, if you are unsure if a role requires this, please contact the Employability & Community Team. Full placement details are sent no later than 30 working days before the start of the placement. We require students to be a minimum age of 14 years old. FHG is committed to equal opportunities. If a student requires any additional support during their placement, please let us know. Students will be encouraged to complete a short programme booklet during their time with us. This is part of our dedicated support to provide employability guidance to our communities. A copy of the booklet can be forwarded to you on request. Some roles are based in our communities, therefore, if you need to visit a student during their placement, please give us as much notice as possible so we can arrange this for you. FHG insurance certificates can be made available to you on request. If you require a copy of these please let the Employability & Community Team know. All students who complete our work experience placement programme will receive a certificate. FHG is always trying to improve its work experience placement programmes. We would love to hear any feedback that you may have about our placements. If you would like to feedback, please contact the Employability & Community Team

9 School Work Experience Application Form 1. Your Details Title Surname Forename(s) Known as Address Post Code Daytime Tel Evening Tel Mobile How would you prefer us to contact you? , Telephone, Mobile, Text (please circle) Main Language Other Languages Date of Birth (Minimum age of 14 yrs required when on placement) - - / - - / Do you live in a FHG property? Y/N (please circle) 2. School Details School Name School Address Post Code Name of Schooll work experience coordinator Daytime Tel 3. Work Experience Details Work experience dates requested Please list your top three work experience positions? School Details 4. Other details Are you related to or known by any employee, former employee, board director or FHG customer? Yes/No (If yes please state their name and relationship to you) Do you have a disability? Yes/No (If yes, do you require any adjustments? Please give details.) Do you have any medical conditions which Futures may need to take into consideration? Yes/No (If yes please give details.) 5. School De

10 5. Personal Statement Please write a personal statement (not more than 500 words) explaining why you would like a work experience placement with Futures. You may wish to include details of: - What you know about Futures - What you wish to get out of your time with Futures - Your future career plans and how the placement would help fit in with those - How your skills and qualities would make you a great addition to the team Continue on a separate piece of paper if needed. Declaration I understand that any placement offered will be subject to the information given on this form. If successful, I agree to work within Futures Housing Group guidelines and follow instructions given. Signed: Date: FOR STUDENTS UNDER 18 YEARS OF AGE: I, the parent/guardian of confirm that I have read and understand this form and agree to him/her participating in a work experience programme at Futures Housing Group. Signed: Date: Parent/Guardian Please return your completed application form to the appropriate office. Details can be found at the back of this booklet. Thank you and good luck!

11 Contact Details Daventry Office Jo Miller (Employability & Community Officer) Futures Housing Group Nene House Drayton Fields Industrial Estate Daventry Northamptonshire NN11 8PB Ripley Office Jenny Ball (Employability & Community Officer) Futures Housing Group Asher House Asher Lane Business Park Ripley Derbyshire DE5 3SW Tel: Website: