European Social Fund in England

Future inspiration

The Inspiring a Future Project is a voluntary course for 18-24 year olds who are on their first 20 weeks of New Deal. It's run by Latitude, a company with a long history of helping the people of Hull find sustainable employment, and is geared towards enhancing the client's personal motivation and determination to succeed.

Trainer interaction moulds these personal attributes and guides them through the realistic issues and roles of a work environment, enhances their personal development and individual skills with a view to gaining employment. The client is responsible for their work and is assisted in their job search by the trainer and given the use of the many resources available within Latitude.

The success rate of gaining employment on this course so far has proven not only how effective it is, but equally how essential it is that these young people realise their own potential and skills that they all possess. Latitude recognises the potential within them and works to promote it further, enhancing their motivation, self-confidence and esteem, and puts these young individuals on the road to opportunities they never realised were available to them.

The course is free with transport and lunch provided on a daily basis. The European Social Fund finances the whole programme. It costs nothing to those attending and finishes with a free 1-week outward-bound type residential course in the Lake District.

About Latitude

Latitude is a Company committed to supporting the economic regeneration of the City of Hull, the Humber Region and the wider geographical area of the North of England.

Their mission is to assist local economic regeneration by supporting enterprise growth and providing sustainable employment opportunities for local communities. Our positioning statement is "Providing People and Intelligence to Improve Your Business or Social Enterprise".

The company was formed in 1996 to take forward a previously government funded initiative whose aim was to match local unemployed people to the needs of local employers. Now with a staff of 16, and annual turnover of £1.8m, Latitude continues to provide employment training - developing skills and attitudes of those who are looking for work.

Over a ten-year period the organisation has changed from being a funded project, developing into a social enterprise and emerging as a private company. Latitude has commercial contracts with small and large businesses and public sector contracts with Jobcentre Plus, Business Link, Government Office and Yorkshire Forward. Business success has been achieved through applying a mixture of creativity, opportunism, vision, hard work and calculated risks.

The employment training provision operates a number of Jobcentre Plus contracts aimed at providing local unemployed people with appropriate skills, attitudes and behaviours to assist them into work. Projects work with New Deal clients, lone parents, graduates and school leavers seeking their first job, and those who have been made redundant, - motivating, building self-esteem, providing job seeking and interview skills, promoting team working and safe working practices, and tackling personal barriers to employment. Employers are vital in supporting these programmes by providing input on 'what employers want' by giving mock interviews or guaranteed interviews or ultimately giving our customers the opportunity they need to prove themselves.

The Employment Training Division delivered the New Deal Gateway to Work programme for six years and now currently runs two ESF projects: Inspiring a Future and First Step.

Kevin's Story

At his initial one-to-one interview, 20 year-old Kevin said that ideally he'd like a job where he can use his Community Sports Leadership skills. He has a driving licence and his second choice was employment as a driver. He also said he wouldn't mind anything involved with public service where he could use his Diploma in Public Service.

Before joining 'Inspiring a Future', Kevin had applied for fifteen jobs without securing an interview, despite being well qualified with 2 diplomas and a sports leadership qualification, as well as 13 GCSEs. The trainers offered Kevin extra help in selling himself to employers in his applications to help him gain an interview. They felt that if Kevin started to get some interviews, he'd probably do really well in them, as he has excellent oral communication skills.

Kevin obtained an interview with the Council a week after leaving the programme. The interview was successful and he is now employed as a Park Ranger at the East Park in Hull.

Kevin said: "I enjoyed the full programme immensely. It certainly increased my confidence and motivation. My interview went really well, and I am going to be supervising and coaching the children who use the park, which is exactly what I wanted. This could not have worked out better, I am so pleased."

Jason's Story

When Jason was only 4 years old, he and his 4 brothers and sisters were removed from their parents and put into care. Jason and one of his brothers lived with the same Foster Carers until he was 16, when the Young Person's Support Service (YPSS) placed Jason into lodgings with a supported lodgings accommodation provider.

After learning some joinery skills on a work placement while still at school, he moved on to car valeting and sales. His support lodgings provider paid for driving lessons as a joint Birthday and Christmas present for him

Jason was just 20 years old when he joined the 'Inspiring a Future' programme in June 2006. He immediately showed great promise in his positive approach to the course and expressed his interest within the electrical and mechanical fields of employment.

Though Jason felt that this kind of work would suit him perfectly, he felt that his literacy skills might restrict him from finding employment. Though Jason had some elementary qualifications and skills in this area, he really needed some guidance and support to lift his confidence and self-esteem.

Jason soon found that the programme really helped to instil some confidence into him and helped him to recognise his own strengths and abilities, increasing his self-esteem and confidence levels so he really started to believe in himself and recognise his own potential. He felt he was a changed individual who was better prepared and more aware of employers' expectations.

Jason undertook further training, including a Learndirect course in Literacy and a certificate in Health and Safety, as well as taking part in activities such as paint-balling and team building exercises. He also helped produce a client newsletter that was published by all the clients on the course, which was then distributed to surrounding Jobcentres and other places of client referral. His Training Officer helped him to produce his own CV and covering letter.

In Week 3 of the programme, Jason was shown an advertisement for a vacancy as a Portable Appliance Tester, travelling nationwide, with a company car and paid expenses. Working with his trainer and Latitude job broker, Jason applied for the position and received an invitation for an interview the very next day.

It is with great credit that, out of 9 possible candidates, Jason was offered the position. He told his trainer that his CV and letter had been selected as the best submitted and that, during the interview, everything that he had been taught about on the course came to mind. His manner, question technique and preparation were all fresh in his mind and he felt better than he had ever done before. His confidence and self-esteem was at an all time high.

Jason left the course as a very different person to the one that started it. He now commands a take-home wage of £2,000 per month, a company car and all expenses paid whilst out on the road. Jason's parting words were that the Inspiring a Future course was, without doubt, the best thing he had ever done. The skills that he had learnt and taken away with him will remain with him forever and can only serve to enhance his future career and prospects.

For Further Information Contact:

Jackie Ingham

Contract Manager

Latitude

Salters House, Salters Court

156 High Street

HULL

East Yorkshire

HU1 1NQ

Tel: 01482 601888

Fax: 01482 601889

Web: www.latitude.uk.com