“The Gateway Programme” is designed to be distinctly people-centred; offering intensive and direct attention with people who are economically inactive to build and develop their character, confidence and attitude and to give work experience and skills so that they can find long-term employment of six months or longer.
Individuals have a personalised 13 week programme that includes: placement in different departments of The Gate and partner organisations; individual projects; regular one-to-ones; participation and leadership of weekly staff meetings, presenting experience, intensive personal development from an award winning OCN accredited course and diverse training opportunities.
Partner organisations provide help with interview practice, CVs and job hunting. The placements cover everything from barwork to reception training; from carpentry to computer programming; from theatre design to graphic design. They are tailored to each person’s future aims, for example those wishing to start a business with receive more training on business development and strategy or customer interaction rather than experience of barwork or computer systems.
Through the whole programme we build individuals’ character (lifestyle, integrity, resolve, morals, personal principles) and attitude at the same time as raising their confidence and giving them skills and experience.
Simply, it focuses around these three aims:
- To be people centred (what can The Gate do for them, not what they can do for The Gate)
- To build character, confidence and attitude
- To provide work experience, training and skills
The programme has developed informally over the last three years as we have worked with a variety of people who have been long-term unemployed and have had significant issues in their own lives and backgrounds preventing them working. Our first formal pilot started in January 2010 with two long-term unemployed young people and was developed further into a second larger pilot programme starting in September 2010. In both of the formal pilots the participants were young people aged 16-25 who were indirectly referred by the Job Centre.
Results to Date – Does it Work?
| Number of Participants: | 36 (inc 10*) |
| Of whom, number who have significant barriers to work? (eg mental illness, abuse): | 12 (33%) |
| Percentage who expressed increased confidence after programme: | 26 (100%) |
| Percentage who believe they have gained vital skills and feel they are ‘more employable’ after programme: | 26 (100%) |
| Percentage who expressed that the programme exceeded their expectations: | 24 (92%) |
| Percentage who have found work or further training: | 10 (77%**) |
| Percentage who have found long-term work after completing the course: | 2 (15%***) |
* denotes those still on the programme (thus excluded from completion figures)
** denotes percentage of those who completed the programme
*** out of the 10 who’ve found work only 2 participants completed the programme more than 6 months ago
Future Development
Due to the success of the pilots, we are hoping to expand the programme dramatically from working with up to 10 participants at any given time to 30, this also means we will increase the range of support we are able to provide. From the two pilot schemes we’ve been able to research the specific areas of need. We believe the main areas are as follows:
- Personal/Life Skills - we’re currently piloting an award winning, OCN accredited, Personal Development Course to develop personal skills in teamworking, dealing with problems, stress and anger management, goal setting, confidence, speaking and communication skills and presentations. This can lead to an NVQ for participants.
- Personal Mentors – We are amassing a group of business and personal mentors willing to commit to ongoing support of people, during and after their placement to support each person as they find and then maintain work.
- Work Skills - clinics covering IT, Design, Basic Business, Marketing and Advertising, Interviews, CV & Cover letter writing, Customer Service and also life skills such as personal budgeting, long term planning, career’s advice
- Refining our Work Placements and Guidance– We are examining the industry-leading Birkman assessment tool to even more finely tune the specific training each person receives to better suit their aspirations.
- Apprenticeships – Since so many participants wish to continue on at The Gate as volunteers even after the 13 week placement to continue their development we hope to design a voluntary apprenticeship programme for a previous participant of the programme, this will contain personalised training, research and assignments as well as a managerial position with the administrative and practical responsibilities which are associated.
- Teambuilding – we hope to run 2-3 day training periods out of Cardiff focusing on teambuilding, specialist workshops and allowing time to look toward their future goals and then removing the barriers to them through series of 1-2-1 times.
If you’d like to know more or think you can help please contact The Gateway Programme Manager – TJ Wheeler (tj@thegate.org.uk)
