Building confidence and developing employability skills

Get Ready for Work at Cranford Park Academy,
Belina – a partner in the SWEET Project AND FAMILY WORKS

This group is made up of mums from the school who want to get back to work. Belina is working together with the group to develop confidence and to help them understand how they can build on their existing skills to get back to work. Before we prepare formal CVs we do an activity whereby we put the parents into groups and ask them them to prepare a poster for employers that promotes the skills and characteristics of Mothers.

Mums R Greatest – or Umbrella ella ella …

The first group showed a mum whose skills are represented by a large umbrella that is made up of all the tasks she undertakes to care for her family and keep them safe (and dry).

 

All in one – Get a Mum!

The second group showed the transferable skills Mums have – shopper, tutor, driver, that make her a fantastic Personal Life Assistant

 

Service with a smile

With her big smile and hands, the third group made clear that Mums are multi-talented, super skilled and nurturing.

Having the chance to work together and think about their skills and characteristics in relation to what employers need enables the parents to talk about all the things they do already and consider how an employer might value them. As we move on to the more formal part of the session mums are already feeling more confident about what they can achieve and how they can look at the jobs on offer and tailor their existing skills to each role.

 

Working with local partners

The success of the programme has come  in great part from the partnership developed with the supportive and insightful Family Support Worker at the School, who has facilitated getting the parents to the group through one to one activity and putting publicity out to parents.

 

Sweet participants – leadership

Anila Saif, Sweet participant, who attended our GRoW programme in the Spring at the Macmillan Children’s Centre is now working with the parents as part of the Belina team – helping them to prepare their CVs and advising them on local courses and activities. Her strong local knowledge and personal experience of getting back to work whilst having four children under ten (including two under three) has made her a role model for parents on the new GRoW programme.

Here we are:  ready to support women across London get ready for work.

What makes us different? – We live our programme every day  – we are women who want to help other women combine work and family life. Our commitment is to ensure that we support people to get the best for both their family and their career. Together we work on four ESF funded projects in West and South London.

Introducing the team

From left to right

Anila works in West London on engagement – going out to schools, adult education centres, and children’s centres. With four children under ten she knows just what it is like to be a busy mum and work. Anila attended a Belina Grow programme at the MacMillan Children’s Centre in Hillingdon before joining the organisation in June. ‘I thought it would be too difficult to combine getting a job with bringing up my family, but it isn’t. I work full out part time and still have the time I need to be with my family.’ 

Isabel has just finished her degree at Oxford University and is doing a part-time work placement looking at engaging large employers to support our participants.

Heather is our comms wiz looking to see how we can use social and old school media to engage with partners and participants. As a communications consultant she works with different organisations sharing her expertise combining this with her family life.

Ahila is taking on the Administration – making sure we don’t just meet our targets – we get the paper work done too. If you work on ESF funded projects you will understand why this is important. She helps to run the Empowering Tamil Women Project in Croydon and attended a Belina Grow programme.

Mercedes worked with Belina for five years and remains as a Senior Facilitator. Mercedes has helped support participants with the most complex needs move forwards. She attended a Belina Grow programme in Islington in 2012, with her son than aged three and soon joined Liz as the company’s first employee. She has been a bedrock of the organisations development. “I just want to get our there and support people – I love our group sessions where we can share our ideas and help each other”

Liz is our Director and works across our four programmes in London. She set up Belina ten years ago and is delighted to be working with all these amazing women. ‘I always wanted Belina to be a model of how women can work and bring up their family and this group is showing that it can be done.’

Bismi is working in South London on engagement and understanding what women from BAME communities want to do and how to help them get ready to work. She is part of the Empowering Tamil Women group and attended the Belina Grow programme there. She has already developed our work with local schools as a parent volunteer.

Abigail, who took the picture, is working on employer engagement and supporting people into work in South London. She joined in May 2017 and is helping us focus on what employers want and helping our candidates prepare their applications and interviews.

 

 

Belina is delighted to be part of the team working with Kennedy Scott on their the new Help to Work project.

Help to Work is a highly innovative back-to-work project that aims to tackle worklessness amongst the most disadvantaged in the Coast to Capital LEP region. This includes Croydon, Brighton and Hove, Worthing  and parts of West Sussex and Surrey. The project will support a wide range of participants including lone parents, those with language barriers and individuals with disabilities and complex health conditions.

The three year project will support 800 individuals and marks an important milestone for Kennedy Scott as it includes the launch of their new Help to Work marketplace (e-Circle of Support), which is an extension of the organisation’s highly successful Circle of Support model.

Alongside traditional employability and skills training, participants on the programme will have access to Kennedy Scott’s e-Circle of Support. A ‘shop for support’ online marketplace, revolutionary within the sector. This brings together in one place – skills, wellbeing and employment services, specifically for their customers. Participants are given a £100 budget to spend on products and services that can help support them towards employment, giving them responsibility over their journey back to work. It include things like retail vouchers for interview clothing, wellbeing support, courses and qualifications.

Participants will also be offered traditional employability and skills training which will include support in CV writing, confidence and motivation building classes, condition management advice and a job brokering service.

Commenting on the start of the contract, Teresa Scott, CEO of Kennedy Scott said:

“I am delighted that Kennedy Scott are now expanding their reach across the Coast to Capital LEP region, in this innovative programme for the most marginalised in our society.

“We have, in conjunction with our local partners, developed a really innovative e-Circle of Support marketplace, which empowers the customer to take ownership of their development and provides a state of the art tailored, digital support platform from which they can choose a wide range of local training interventions.

“It will change the face of the employability support for the future and ensure that we are providing the best possible opportunities for our customers, where it matters most, in their local area.”

Sadly on Friday 3^rd March Janette Faherty OBE passed away, she had an aggressive and rare cancer which took her from us in a matter of weeks.

Janette was one of a kind, a leading figure within the employability and skills sector who leaves a genuine legacy through the many lives she touched so positively; through her leadership of TNG and Avanta; through her shrewd lobbying of politicians and decision makers; through the people she connected and through her vision for an Institute which supports and represents employability professionals.

Despite her seniority in her business (she owned it) and our industry (she was its doyenne) Janette knew everyone’s names and cared about their opinions. She was the mistress of the direct question and the supplementary one too, but her gentle style encouraged us to share our thoughts and follow through on our ambitions. She was a sharp and accurate judge of character. Janette had no idea how to be stuffy or unapproachable. It just wasn’t her way.

Fran Parry sums up how so many people feel about Janette, ‘my friend, colleague and mentor. She was a generous giver of time; taking the view that ‘ if you ask a busy woman’ the job is most likely to get done. She was constantly available with good advice and was always free with her introductions to her remarkable contacts list. She was the consummate networker. Janette more than deserved her OBE and the sector was delighted to reflect in some of the glory of that honour’. 

Janette’s vision, ethics and personality permeated TNG; although it was a big and successful company she ensured it had a very personal feel to it and it was clear that she genuinely cared about her people.  She seemed to know every person in the company and often knew quite personal and intimate details about their lives – it was clear that her people trusted her.  Janette was a unique business leader, its not many CEO’s of large companies who take the time to personally get to know their staff in the way that she did.

Helen McAnally remembers many a catch up over a coffee (or more likely a glass of bubbles) ‘Janette had a very sharp and quick mind and her observations on our industry were always clear and insightful.  She had a unique ability to combine visionary thinking with keeping it real and her pragmatic approach meant that things she talked about usually eventuated’.  

Janette was never selfish, whilst running her large company she thoughtfully supported and guided fellow entrepreneurs to build their businesses by making introductions and giving sound advice. James Clements Smith who knew Janette for around 20 years captures this ‘she was an inspiration to me personally and professionally’. 

Belina’s Liz Sewell got to know Janette Faherty  OBE in the final years of her life. “Janette appointed me as Director and she was generous in all ways, and someone who gave great advice and always did what needed to be done.’ She will be missed.

The creation of the Institute of Employability Professionals is a typical example of how Janette worked. As one of the founding members, her significant contribution of time, resources, expertise and energy ensured that the IEP went from an idea to an organisation that will be part of her legacy to the employability sector.  It was whilst project managing the implementation of IEP that I got the chance to work alongside Janette, this period stands out a highlight in my own career, I learnt so much from Janette about how to take an idea and make it a reality.

Always an innovator, Janette had a particular passion technology and for supporting young people. Russell Butcher recalls, ‘I worked with Janette at the Digital Youth Academy, just one of the many businesses which she helped establish in true Janette entrepreneurial mode.  Having worked in the sector for many years I was looking forward to directly working with Janette for the first time, I wasn’t disappointed.  A true visionary, role-model, natural leader, motivator and with an obvious passion for helping people, she was an all-round inspiration’.

For such a small person Janette leaves an enormous hole. She will be remembered most for her generosity, such a very giving person who liked to help for no other reason than it made things better for the people she was involved with.  To lose our friend so young is a tragedy but nonetheless we can take so many things from Janette’s example – not least her complete integrity, her faith in human nature, and the way she cared for and nurtured the industry she loved.

 

Contributors:

Helen Richardson                     Workpays/Fabster

Fran Parry                                    Inclusion/Bright Sparks/Fabster

James Clement Smith           Prevista

Helen McAnally                        Parkhouse Bell/Fabster

Russell Butcher                          DYA/Starbucks

Liz Sewell

 

More than half of unemployed parents would look for work in order to take advantage of the 30 hours free childcare for 3 and 4 year olds being promised by the Government according to research done for the Department for Education.

According to a  survey of parents by Ipsos MORI, of the 300 not in work, the majority of whom will be mothers,  60% said they would  ‘likely’ or definitely seek work to become eligible for the the extended entitlement.

The key reasons were that the extra hours would reduce the cost of childcare and would enable parents to work for longer hours.

The full report can be ready here

Our new partnership with this inspirational group of Women  in Croydon is going from strength to strength with nearly all the women seeking help to move either into work or on to training programmes.

The group recently undertook a project of identifying what employers are looking for and what they are a group can offer and came up with this fantastic poster which reads Woman who manages the family can manage the world!

 

Following requests from many women, Belina is launching two new modules to help women Get Ready for Work

Setting up a home business:

Many women want to work from home – and with the internet this has never been easier. This interactive and practical programme draws on the experience of women who have set them selves up to work from home to make more money for their families.

• Market research, brand and USP
• Finance, budgeting and cashflow.
• Self-employed, sole trader, limited company, social enterprise
• Tax and NI – make it simple
• Creating a basic business plan.

IT is EASY

We believe if you can make a phone call and check Facebook you can best IT. In fact IT for work is easier now than ever. Our fun and interactive IT module takes just 90 minutes to show that IT isEASY.

 

• Hardware – laptops, tablet and smart phones and printers
• Software: Email, Contacts, Calendars, Outlook, Word, Powerpoint and Excel
• Internet and social media: Wifi, Websites, Linked-in, ebay and Twitter.

 

These programmes will be running in Hillingdon, Hammersmith, Ealing, Croydon and Merton soon.

Many years ago, when I began my working life, I was told I could retire at 60, 60 became 62, then 65 and now, as the goal posts move yet again, its 67 and counting.  In fact, the prospect of actually retiring one day seems to be moving further and further away.  The 50-year career is now a reality and we have to get used to it.  But how does this affect people, what are the challenges we face and does it affect men and women differently?

At Belina’s Roundtable discussion about the 50-year career there were many opinions and observations debated. Belina was joined by a variety of organisations, all focused on supporting women and all equipped with a deep knowledge of what women really need in order to get back to work. Flexibility, agile working, childcare, benefits and low pay were the key issues on the agenda but it was clear that this was just the surface and that there are many more considerations.

Firstly, women need to feel supported. Women, and particularly those who have children, can experience many anxieties about employment and how having a job might affect their life and their family’s lives.  They need someone they can talk to that listens and understands their issues and can signpost them to get support they need on subjects such as benefits and childcare.  They need to feel valued. Ayan Yahye from Faith Regeneration spoke eloquently at the roundtable event about how women need to be recognised for their achievements as mothers and for the extraordinary role they play within their families.  What they don’t need is to feel they have no value because they don’t have a job.

Women need to feel confident, not just in themselves and their ability to re-join the workforce, but confident that they are doing the best for their families and their children in returning to work. Many women feel a huge burden that they are juggling their work and their families and not giving their best to either. These are important considerations for women and they need to have specialist support from people who can help them think their issues through and then help them to overcome their challenges so they can see employment as a positive step.

My firm belief is that women are almost always happier if they are in work. Work offers independence, increases confidence and provides an opportunity to maintain a lifestyle of choice.  We do, however, need to ensure that the right type of work is available. Unfortunately, in the current climate there are many turn-offs for women looking to return to work – most vacancies advertised are heavily weighted towards full time positions and there are still horror stories reported in the news that are likely to deter women from work “Temp gets sent home for not wearing high heels; No job available for me after maternity leave; gender pay gap continues” to name but a few.  Not very encouraging if you’ve been a long way from work for a long time!

We hear a lot about new ways of working that should offer more opportunities for women but whilst the gig economy and zero contract hours enables flexibility not all employers offer these terms and, often they can be poorly paid with no guaranteed income. It’s not just low skilled positions affected by today’s working landscape either; more professional women in jobs such as teaching are being forced to leave the profession due to longer working hours that are not conducive to a work/life balance. Many employers who offer part-time positions only do so on the basis of the work being undertaken at weekends and evenings – not easy for a working mother and especially so if you’re a lone parent or caring for ageing parents.

Employers still have a long way to go if they are serious about tapping into the significant skills and talents that women at work can offer.  Women are notoriously proficient in multi-tasking, they typically have strong nurturing skills suited to personal and team development; they do better in achieving qualifications and they are extremely good at adapting to change. Yet despite all this, many employers, particularly large employers, do not actively recruit women and often it’s because it is still viewed as ‘too difficult’.

Making jobs that actually appeal and work well for women should be a priority in the millennium age.  It is all of society’s responsibility to nurture and grow our young people into happy, creative and responsible adults if we want our society to thrive. It is in everybody’s interests to create an environment for people to be able to combine family and caring roles with work that helps them thrive as a unit.

So much of policy today is making life for women, particularly mothers, more challenging rather than easier. Laura Dewar from Gingerbread mentioned that commissioning of services and programmes still does not take into account the fact that parents have outside responsibilities and economic measures such as the benefit cap is pressurising many women to return to the workplace much sooner than they wish, even whilst pregnant or with newborn babies.

Even measures that have been set up to try to help women return to work have not always proven successful. This week the Institute of Economic Affairs has called for universal free childcare to be scrapped as families most in need of help are not getting it because Government subsidies are poorly targeted.  With the news that many families on average earnings are spending more than a third of net income on childcare it is not surprising that it can be a challenge to convince women to feel motivated about returning to work and help them feel positively about it.

I was delighted though to meet so many great organisations at the roundtable event who are all absolutely dedicated to supporting women who do want or need to return to work.  People like Jessie Bondswell from SimplyMums, a mother who has set up her own recruitment agency specialising in finding good work that works for women. Wendy at Working Chance who are the UK’s only specialist recruitment consultancy for women with criminal convictions and women care leavers; Working Families and Gingerbread’s Laura Dewar who is a policy campaigner for single parents and committed to promoting better quality work for mothers; Jan Townsend from  Kennedy Scott our partner on the Help to Work Programme and and Ayan Yahee from Faith Regeneration who, like Belina are delivering local training opportunities for women as part of our BBO project Raising Aspirations. Thank you for all you do and thank you also to Sam Windett at ERSA for being a fantastic chair and to our two Token men, Thisara David from the IEP and Richard Brooks Fellow of the Insitute of Employability Professionals and Board member at ERSA.

It’s clear that now we’re living in the era of the 50 year career that we should all be doing more to make work “work” for women and that, in this changing landscape, specialist support and specialist knowledge of women and lone parents has never been so important.

sweet-grow