Ross Brown, Contract Manager at Opportunity Sheffield, welcomed guests to the Summer Teacake Club meeting, hosted by the new Radisson Blu Hotel on Friday 4 July 2024.
Speakers
YES2VENTURES
Mark Powell (Director) - Developing Social Firms
Mark told us about the history of social firms and how the ethos has developed. He talked about the difference that social firms can make to the lives of individuals. He emphasised the need for their projects to be competitive in terms of quality and what they deliver to customers. As a result of this, all of the people on their programmes were paid competitive wages. Mark was on the national board for social firms so has had valuable experience travelling the country and contributing to projects to ensure the best outcome for the workers.
Yes2ventures was set up to be a social firm development agency but with the amount of people that need work opportunities, Mark explained that he has been somewhat distracted with employability. He told us about how companies seem to be keen to employ vulnerable people/people with additional needs, but when it comes to making reasonable adjustments, they are less keen. There is a considerable lack of realistic opportunities across South Yorkshire for people with additional needs.
They are re-launching Yes2ventures to find business ideas, jobs and opportunities for people. He emphasised the need to find champions to lead these projects and the need for diversity of interest. Mark encouraged everyone to generate enterprise ideas and contact him to become part of the advisory group on their board. The next generation of catalyst entrepreneurs (CATS) are needed to become the next social firm champions.
More information about Yes2Venture can be found on the Disability Sheffield website.
Radisson Blu
Valerie Donaldson (General Manager) – Radisson Blu
Radisson Blu has only been open for four days and we are very grateful to them for hosting Teacake Club. Employability has always been close to Valerie's heart and through her work with Radisson Blu - she has been instrumental in ensuring diversity in their recruiting processes.
There were approximately 2,500 applicants for the jobs available at the Sheffield branch of the hotel, which was an overwhelming response. 172 people were shortlisted for interview. She explained that they advertise widely, but candidates needed experience of working in a hotel to be successful so that the hotel was able to open on time. 34 applicants were successful. There were many entry level positions available which gives people the chance to build a career with the company and move through all job levels.
Valerie explained that after the initial recruitment drive, people will move through the ranks and then there will be more opportunities for people without experience to work at the Radisson Blu. She would welcome applicants from the UKSPF funded projects.
To find out more, visit the Radisson Blu Sheffield page.
PET-XI
Gary Drake (Head of Operations) – Entrepreneur Project
Gary talked to us about PET-Xi's Ignite Programme. The free programme is designed to help young jobseekers develop entrepreneurial skills and support them to start their own business within 10 days. PET-Xi offers entrepreneurship training which focuses on developing entrepreneurial skills - from idea generation to business planning.
They also offer mentoring and support to help young people navigate the challenges of starting a business. There is a £50 start-up business grant for every individual completing the programme. In addition, they give support to apply for the £1000 Sheffield New Business start-up Grant.
Gary then told us about PET-Xi's 'Introduction to Coaching' football offers. This free programme helps young job seekers start a football coaching career with Sheffield United Community Foundation. This is for people who have a passion for coaching and developing players. Participants will gain the Introduction to Coaching Football Qualification and will have the opportunity to progress onto UEFA C Coaching License with SUFC Community Foundation.
Pet-Xi also offers the Exemplar Health Care Programme which is designed to help young jobseekers start a career in the care sector. They also have a free programme to help job seekers start a career with Daisy Communications (the largest independent specialist telecommunications business in the UK).
To be eligible for these programmes, people must be 19-24 and not in education.
Gary finished by inviting everyone to come and meet their team. At PET-Xi they pride themselves on providing a welcoming, non-judgmental setting where young people can not only grow, but thrive and realise their potential. With non-biased IAG, Interactive Level 2 Vocational Certificates and flexible, bespoke careers support, and our Multiply Cooking Counts Programme, their team are here to empower and inspire.
They would love for Work Coaches, Advisors, PAs and Partners to meet the team, experience the setting and find out more about how they can support participants on our programmes.
To find out more, visit the PET-Xi website.
SHEFFIELD CITY COUNCIL
Simon Mitchell (Safer Neighbourhood Manager) – Neighbourhoods Team – Identifying Organised Crime
Simon explained that organised crime takes place within local communities, across local borders, nationally and internationally. It is dynamic and opportunistic and is perpetrated by groups, or networks of individuals, collaborating to establish a criminal foothold and make a profit. It involves violence (or threat of), corruption and intimidation to protect and sustain criminal activity. Fortify is a multi-agency response to organised crime which disrupts organised crime groups. It protects and supports vulnerable people and prevents involvement in organised crime.
Simon told us about county lines and cuckooing which are lucrative tactics deployed by organised crime groups to exploit vulnerable people. He told us the signs of cuckooing and the importance of having professional curiosity when working with people to identify possible incidents. He emphasised that the welfare and safety of a vulnerable person should always be prioritised.
If people have a concern that a crime is in progress, they should contact the police on 999. For all other concerns or queries, you can contact fortify@sheffield.gov.uk
OPPORTUNITY SHEFFIELD
Vill Powell (Strategic Support Coordinator) - Sector Routeways Programme
Vill told us about the SCC Sector Routeways programme. They give independent information, advice and guidance to alert jobseekers to the options available in sectors with high recruitment demands.
Sector Routeways provides short training courses to offer industry-specific skills, basic knowledge, certificates, licences, etc candidates need to fill available vacancies in a particular sector. For those who complete the initial training phase, an industry placement with a local employer to provide practical industry insight and experience and give candidates the opportunity to showcase their job readiness to employers looking to hire.
The current courses are: construction; Early Years education; adult social care; rail track; manufacturing and warehousing; hospitality; business admin; and early careers (16-24 multi sector). To be eligible, participants need to be: 16+ and job ready; unemployed or economically inactive; NEET; a South Yorkshire Resident; have the right to work in the UK; have an NI number; the requisite job-readiness behaviour and attitudes to undertake basic training and for the workplace.
Vill explained the participant's journey if they enrol on a Sector Routeways course. After being referred, their eligibility is assessed. If eligible, they are assigned to an IAG officer to check their suitability and to ensure their needs and ambitions are taken into consideration.
After this, they are registered on the course and can attend and complete, gaining certification. On successful completion of the course, the participant may attend a work placement for up to two weeks with an employer who has partnered with the programme. Following this, the participant may receive a guaranteed job interview and then a job offer from the placement employer or have gained the skills to apply elsewhere.
For more specific information about the courses and their content, and delivery dates for 2024-2025, please contact Vill.Powell@sheffield.gov.uk
IN BRIEF
Attendees had a chance to briefly promote services they work for and/or projects they are working on.
Speakers in this quarter's In Brief segment included Khalid from Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) about the debt support available and John Casey from the Department for Work & Pensions (DWP) about the various support they offer.
Opportunity Sheffield would like to thank Radisson Blu for hosting our Summer 2024 meeting at their venue.
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