Super six celebrate retail project success

The six young people who will be watching a cheque hand over to power up another year of the Shaw Trust and Jack Petchey Foundation Retail Project are working proof of its super success.



For the six are all enjoying their first real jobs thanks to the Tesco-backed east London and west Essex project to provide work placements and employment opportunities for 16-25 year olds with learning difficulties.

Twenty two young people have found permanent jobs and 70 are learning new skills on work placements in Tesco stores, since the project was launched last year with the aim of placing over 100 in work.

The 73,182 grant from the Jack Petchey Foundation, which will be handed over by Foundation Director Andrew Billington, will fund national charity Shaw Trustís project for a second year, with a target of 30 more into paid work and of course many more enjoying work experience.

We knew there was a great need for a project like this, and we are delighted that we have been able to give so many young people the chance to shine, said Shaw Trust project manager Stephen Irvine.

We couldnít have done it, though, without the generous backing of the Jack Petchey Foundation and the support of Tesco, whose staff have been wonderful in matching our young people to appropriate work areas. In return, we can provide them with quality workers who are all eager to do well.

The East London project provides three to five days of training, which focuses on retail in general and Tesco in particular. They also study the range of jobs available, interview techniques, presentation and behaviour.

Stephen and his Job Coaches, Rosie Trustrom and Shaz Hullen, liase with Tesco managers to find the best position for each candidate, and then support them throughout their tenure.

The training is necessarily vigorous, since it aims to shape up the young people for the world of work. Stephen says that he feels like the Simon Cowell of training. I have to be quite harsh at times, but Iím kind too! I will tell people to smarten up if necessary, because they need to look the part, he explains.

We emphasise the importance of good time keeping and working hard. But most of all we encourage them to be confident in their abilities and to do their best, and weíre always there when they need us, even when theyíve started work.

The Jack Petchey Foundation provides all of the grant funding for the project. Under the banner Backing Young People, Jack Petchey OBE started his Foundation in 1999 to help develop the potential of 11-25 year-olds in East and North London and West Essex.

A former East End boy who left school at 14, Jack is now one of Britainís most successful businessmen and entrepreneurs, despite being told he would ínever make a managerí. He launched his Foundation in 1999 to ígive something backí, and to date the Jack Petchey Foundation has donated over 18 million to organisations and schools in East London and West Essex to help young people take advantage of opportunities and to play their part in society.

We are pleased to support Shaw Trust in the Retail Project, said Foundation Director Andrew Billington. This is an exciting initiative which gives these youngsters a unique opportunity to be trained and to experience working life. This will be a major boost for their personal development and self confidence.

Chigwell teenager Paul Taylor, aged 19, was the first to land a job, after he did so well on his work placement at Tesco Barkingside that he was considered for suitable vacancies before it had even finished. Paul has been nominated for an Individual Achievement award in Shaw Trustís prestigious STAR Awards, at the Caf Royal on November 22.

Watching the November 8 cheque hand over at Tesco Goodmayes will be six other local Redbridge stars: Mark Gardener, aged 17, Abdul Quddis,17, Charlene Payne, 19, Stacey Morgan, 24, Kalam Kazi, 20, and 23 year-old Khurram Merza. They all got their first jobs at Tesco Goodmayes.

Also present will be David Albert, 24, whoís currently on work placement there, Tesco Goodmayes Resource Manager Jo Wolfe and Tesco Manager Jason Finch.

Jo and Jason have been absolutely wonderful in welcoming our youngsters and making sure they are happy and settled, added Shaw Trustís Stephen Irvine.

Jason Finch added: We are delighted with all of them, and pleased to be part of a project that helps young people overcome barriers to employment.

* If you are aged 16-25 and would like to be considered for the Shaw Trust and Jack Petchey Foundation Retail, you can contact Manager Stephen Irvine on 0208 5365688.