European Social Fund in England

‘I am doing well with a performance rating of 90 per cent.’

Kaylie Bower, 21, now has even brighter career prospects thanks to a project run by New College Stamford, which aims to transform job hunting skills and lift peoples’ confidence. Both of which have helped Kaylie get her job at Homebase within just two months of starting the course.

The project, called Employment Finder Service Youth Programme, is funded by the European Social Fund (ESF) and the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) for the East Midlands.

“I had been looking for a part-time job for a few years, and I found out about this project a couple of months after I completed an IT course” Kaylie said.

“I went to see the tutor and she explained how the course could help me. Straight away they helped me sign on for Jobseeker’s Allowance.

“I had no confidence at all before, but they helped with all sorts of things – from CV and letter writing, how to search on job sites, to getting my hair right for an interview. On my second interview I got my job at Homebase in Stamford, and am doing well with a performance rating of 90 per cent.”

Glenn Powell, implementation manager at New College Stamford, said “Young people who are not in work, nor in education or training, often find it difficult to get to grips with the range of options available to them in the educational and employment sectors. This project seeks to simplify the options available.

“Contrary to popular belief, the majority of young adults who come to us who have not got a job, nor are in training or education, are well-behaved, motivated and as keen as their peers to grasp available education and employment opportunities. They just need a little more help along the way.”

Project information (July 2009)

The Employment Finder Service Youth Programme will receive around £90,000 in ESF funding.