It’s been a very exciting year so far for our project. We have won a national award for innovation,   been lucky enough to work with the lovely Dee, our first official Work Skills volunteer, and we have hosted some really interesting new events, including an Industry Visit with Southend Adult Community College, an accredited Emergency First Aid course, and a 60 Minute Mentor session with local artist Lu from Metal, in which one lucky family won tickets to the fantastic Village Green Festival at Chalkwell Park!

By far our biggest reason to celebrate is the success stories of the parents that attend our sessions though. In order to learn and improve our sessions, we try to gather as much feedback from them as possible in the form of a questionnaire that they complete at an event. We then follow-up a few months later, and again 12 months after they first attended.  We use this information to understand which events are most popular, which ones people find most useful, and even the events that perhaps aren’t working too well. It’s always lovely to hear how the event has supported them in their journey with returning to work, and if the event had some kind of impact on them. These are just a few examples of this year’s achievements so far:

• Kirsty came along to our Southend Hospital events and is now working in the role she had wanted for so long, as a Health Care Assistant.
• Ellen attended our Volunteering event and has now completed her training with Volunteering Matters. She’s waiting to be matched with a family shortly and will work alongside services at the Council, including Social Services, to support a family under a child protection order.
• Agnese completed our Intro 2 Enterprise business course and has now set up her own business, as well as securing a grant payment to help fund the equipment she needed.
• Kelly also completed our Intro 2 Enterprise course and says it gave her the confidence and knowledge she needed to start her private tutoring venture.
• Sarah attended our 60 Minute Mentor Careers in Teaching event and is now a tutor at Southend Adult Community College. She said: “I wouldn’t be in the position I am now if it wasn’t for the event”.
• Shannon came to our Hair & Beauty event and then enrolled at South Essex College. She has now qualified in a Level 2 Beauty course and is going on to Level 3 in September, aiming to work in a salon once she has qualified.

There are many more positive stories and we look forward to many more in the future. To help this, we always try to make sure that the Work Skills sessions provide a friendly and supportive environment, as well as being interesting, engaging and above all, helpful. In addition, we are able to provide free childcare for children under 4, with the help of a friendly and fully qualified mobile crèche team too and we are always on hand to support parents after they have attended events however we can.

If you would like to find out about upcoming Work Skills events, or to book your place, click here. You can also contact Amir and myself (Lucie) for more details on 01702 215022 / economicd@southend.gov.uk