People Power Up Back To Work Drive

Employment charity Shaw Trust and its partners are hosting a Success Event to celebrate people getting back to work with the New Deal for Disabled People (NDDP) programme in the North East.

WHEN: Friday, April 24th, 2009.
WHAT TIME: The event starts at 1.30pm.
WHERE: Shaw Trust, 1st Floor, Gunner House, Neville Street,
Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 5DF.

A WALKER mum who is enjoying a new career after a year out of work, and the delighted employer who gave her the chance to shine, are helping to celebrate the success of the North East NDDP welfare to work programme delivered by national employment charity Shaw Trust.

Mother of two Mandy Kerr and Sandra Archbold, Manager of Organisational Development for Your Homes Newcastle, are eager to spread the word about the power of the programme, which will be spotlighted at a Success Event in Newcastle on Friday (April 24th).

ìEveryone should have the opportunity to work if they want to. Itís horrible not being part of the real, working world. You lose your confidence and your sense of self worth,î says Mandy, 45, who is working for Your Homes Newcastleís Byker Housing Office.

ìNow, thanks to Shaw Trust and the partnership with Your Homes Newcastle, I have a job I love, which helps other people, and it feels so good to be working again.î

Mandyís GP suggested she contact Shaw Trust as she recovered from a bout of ill health that had kept her out of work for a year. She was one of several clients given work placements with Your Homes Newcastle, an Arms Length Management Organisation that manages over 30,000 homes on behalf of Newcastle City Council.

Since 2004, Your Homes Newcastle, a non-profit making organisation, has welcomed six clients on work placements, helping them to develop skills as they move towards paid employment. Of those six, five have since gone on to gain full time jobs.
They include Mandy, who was quickly offered a part time job by Your Homes Newcastle. She has been promoted since and is now working full time.

ìWe contacted Shaw Trust because we wanted to encourage a diverse workforce that reflects the community we serve. It has become an extremely successful partnership,î says Sandra, whose fellow Managers have also taken clients on work placements.

ìIt was a big step into the unknown for us, but actually it was very easy with Shaw Trustís support, and incredibly rewarding. All you have to do is to recognise and work with peopleís individual needs, which is what a good employer does with any staff.

ìItís such an enriching experience for everyone. Our teams gain a fresh perspective and get a great deal of satisfaction watching people grow in confidence, and transform before their eyes. Every organisation should do this,î adds Sandra, whose three star organisation has achieved a number of high profile national accreditations including the Positive about Disability Two Ticks symbol, and the Investor in People standard.

Shaw Trust Employment Consultant Christine Clark praised Your Homes Newcastle: ìThe organisation has supported a lot of people on their way back to employment, including Mandy, who is now working full time.

ìWe would be delighted to hear from other employers who would like to follow their lead. People want to work, employers need their skills and everyone is a winner.î

Mandy feels that she has become a fitting role model for her children Amy, 15, and Dean, 18. ìItís important for them to see me happy and in work. I was getting increasingly frustrated being on benefits when I have always worked,î she says.

ìShaw Trust is always there for you and it makes such a difference to know that someoneís on your side when youíre nervous about going back into the workplace. Sandra was brilliant too and offered constant support, including accompanying me to meetings.î

Sandra adds: ìWhen Mandy got the job, everyone was as thrilled as she was, and there are many other people who deserve the chance to shine too.î

Shaw Trust is working within the region to deliver the New Deal for Disabled People (NDDP) programme, in partnership with Jobcentre Plus, which provides advice on training, job search, benefits and tax credits for people with disabilities or those with a health condition.

Shaw Trust has set up a freephone number - 0800 085 1001 - for people who want to work and for employers who want to access them.