Bright futures for new recruits: celebration of 1st anniversary of CDHT's Pathways Team
Chester & District Housing Trust (CDHT) held a special lunch to recognise the success and achievements of the Pathways team and the customers they have assisted.
Christine Russell, Labour Parliamentary Candidate for Chester and a number of local entrepreneurs, including Barry Johnston of Solar Twin in Watergate Street and Nick Harding of Cruise in St.John Street, dropped in to CDHT’s Centurion House, Northgate Street headquarters, to hear of the successes of the various Pathways programmes. Over the last 12 months, the Pathways team; who provide an employment mentoring service to residents of West Cheshire who wish to engage with further training, education or employment as well as preventing homelessness, have worked alongside more than 400 residents in Chester to help to create opportunities. The event also recognised the contribution of the first 14 young people employed by the Trust through the Future Jobs Fund Programme and the personal achievements and positive impact they have all had by working within the community.
The Future Jobs Fund is a new £1.2 billion government scheme run nationally by the Department for Work and Pensions, which aims to create 150,000 new jobs across the country and help young people find work. The programme has been welcomed by the Trust, which is creating more than 60 employment opportunities over the next two years, in partnership with Cheshire West & Chester Council and Job Centre Plus.
So far, vacancies and community apprentices have been created in most areas of the Trust’s directorates including call centres, repairs teams, painting and decorating, grounds maintenance and finance, as well as housing management and resident involvement. These new roles at the Trust are all assigned a personal mentor who will help each for the next six months with their career plans and training. This ranges from study leave for level-two NVQ qualifications in subjects like Business Administration, Customer Care to numeracy and literacy skills, through to money management, welfare benefits and housing options advice.
Those benefitting from the Future Jobs Fund and working at CDHT include: Sean Barnett, aged 21, of Ellesmere Port, who is using his skills in painting and decorating, Samantha Bayliss, aged 19, of Tattenhall, who is working with Housing Management, Hannah Griffith, aged 22, of Hoole, who is working in Performance and Quality, Robert Hook, aged 20, of Blacon, who is working in Grounds Maintenance, Jon Hughes, aged 19, of Kingsway, who is working in Property Options, Richard Johnson, aged 21, of Blacon, helping with admin in the Property and Housing Options departments, Cerine Kennedy, aged 19, of Saltney, Dean McGovern, aged 20, of Lache, who was awarded an NVQ2 in Customer Services, Shaun Murray, aged 22, of Blacon, who is working in the Customer Services department at CDHT, Kevin Lloyd, aged 20, of Shotton, who is working in the Voids department, Lucifer Mullock, aged 20, of Chester city centre, who is working in grounds maintenance, Steven Schofield, aged 24, of Blacon, who is working with the Resident Involvement Team, Adam Picken, aged 20, of Blacon, who is working in painting and decorating in planned maintenance, alongside Todd Wishart, aged 19, of Hoole.
Dave Shaw, CDHT Assistant Director – Customer & Housing Access, said:
“It is a pleasure to lead the celebration of our first recruits through the Pathways team at the Trust, but also to recognise just how many customers have secured employment, training, community learning or more specialist help over these last 12 months. The Trust recognises that investment in our young people, coupled with helping all our customers to meet their own personal aspirations is crucial, not least when reflecting on the current financial climate. "
John Denny, Chief Executive of CDHT, added:
“Our commitment is clear; investment and regeneration within our communities starts with people. As a community employer, we are proud that over 50% of our employees live within the communities where we work. To be able to meet and hear the personal successes of these young people just shows why the Trust is recognised as a Times Top 100 Employer for the third year running and Employer of the Year in 2009 by Workability Plus across Cheshire West. It is a pleasure to see the investment in these young recruits and the value they offer our organisation.”
Speaking at the Future Jobs Fund event, Christine Russell said:
“It’s really nice to come and hear what money has been spent on – £1 billion to provide the quality training and work experiences that you’ve been having. A huge congratulations to all of you and I would really commend and congratulate Chester & District Housing Trust. This Housing Trust is one of the 100 Best Companies in the land. When you think they are competing with Tesco, Airbus and Vauxhall and you talk about the top 100 that means something. The chance for training is really important – young people are not getting a job. A lot of businesses are trying to hold on to the staff they’ve got. A lot of them are not filling job vacancies. It’s a brilliant scheme and it’s great the Housing Trust has got involved with it. I’m going to say to Yvette Cooper, the Cabinet Minister for Work and Pensions, to come here to Chester and see what you’ve done.”
CDHT’s Housing Options & Pathways Team Manager Sharon Morris is managing the project working with Sarah McGrady, Pathways Co-ordinator, who is leading the team. Sarah added:
“The Future Jobs Fund project is a fantastic opportunity for the Trust to work with and learn from young people, helping them to learn new skills and build a successful career for themselves in housing. In the current economic climate it is even more important that we show our support for young people entering the jobs market.”
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http://www.marketingprojects.co.uk/news/chester-district-housing-trust
Caption:
Christine Russell with young people on the Future Jobs Fund placement and members of the CHDT team
Notes to editors
Chester & District Housing Trust (CDHT) is a dynamic and enterprising organisation at the forefront of delivering positive impacts in the communities with which it works. The Trust’s homes span six communities – Blacon North; Blacon South; Chester City Area; The Rurals; Lache and Handbridge; Upton, Hoole, Newton and Plas Newton.
Committed to the best principles of social enterprise with over 14,000 local customers in 6,200 properties and 53% of its 275 colleagues living within its communities, the Trust adheres to key commitments and principles relating to people, places, partnerships and performance which underpin the Vision to ‘create opportunity’, through its mission, ‘by doing the right thing’.
The Trust is about being transparent and accountable in everything that is done and to this end is one of the first organisations nationally to have established a Residents’ Board, with full delegated powers from the Trust Board, to direct services which impact upon their lives.
The Trust has a comprehensive development programme delivering over 330 new homes including the £12million regeneration of the Treborth Road area of Chester providing new homes for rent, sale and shared ownership, as well as a village green and wildlife habitats.
CDHT also provides services on a partnership basis, to a number of other customers e.g. Telecare services, TrustWorks Maintenance Services, Housing Options advice, waiting list management and choice based lettings to neighbouring local authorities and registered social landlords.
The Trust is rated as two Star excellent by the Audit Commission, has the highest possible rating from Telecare Services Association and is also credited Investors in People and is the overall Employer of the Year For Cheshire West. It has been in the ‘Top 100 Sunday Times best companies to work for’ for the last 2 years.
For more details please visit www.cdht.org or request a copy of CDHT’s Corporate Plan 2009-2014.
CDHT Press Contacts: Phil Brotherhood
E: phil@marketingprojects.co.uk M: 07884 493370
Jane Harrad-Roberts
E: jane@marketingprojects.co.uk M: 07785 395705
W: www.marketingprojects.co.uk T: 01244 330000
Further contacts:
Caroline Thomas, Cheshire West and Chester Council Project Coordinator for Future Jobs: 0151 356 6637 Caroline.thomas@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk
Shirley Joinson, CDHT Pathways Mentor: Tel – 01244 305558
Connie Hancock, Manager of the Learning & Enterprise Centre at Learn Direct: 0845 345 4025 or 01244 512117
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