mission: Employable A year of impact and innovation
This year we helped more than 5,300 people transform their work prospects. This Impact Report tells some of their stories, and demonstrates the difference we make to people’s lives, to communities and to society.
Our mission is to help excluded and disadvantaged people to get and keep a job
Contents Statement from Debbie Scott, Chief Executive
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Ryan Townsend
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John Burnett
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Your future, not your past
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We’re making a real difference
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Keeley Weston
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A wave of positivity
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Chris O’Hara
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Unlocking the talent of the next generation
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Society profits
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Nadim Ahmed
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Tim Dinnage
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The power of community
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Fundraising
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I turned things around when someone took an interest in me I didn’t always apply myself at school. My school reports talked about a misplaced sense of humour. I failed all my exams. But now I’m part of a fantastic organisation.
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Tomorrow’s People Impact Report 2013
Debbie scott AGE 58 Chief executive, Tomorrow’s people So how did I turn things around? Someone I met took an interest in me. Someone saw I had ability and was bothered enough to help me make something of my life.
“Our great results are thanks to the energy and commitment of our frontline staff. They go the extra mile for clients day in, day out.” That person took me to college every morning. She picked me up at the end of the day and she made sure I did my homework. I passed all my exams and I got my first job in a bank. I’ve been with Tomorrow’s People since it started in 1984. I suppose subconsciously I thought if someone can put themselves out for me, I should do the same.
The woman who helped me was in the Salvation Army as it happens, but she was like an adviser and mentor to me. I feel everyone should have someone like her in their lives and Tomorrow’s People tries to be that someone. That’s at the heart of all we achieve at Tomorrow’s People. We take the same sort of practical approach. Our fantastic staff are tutors, mentors and advisers to people who really want to work, but who have hit hard times, or who face terrible barriers. They transformed thousands of lives by getting people back on the road to a job. The impact of their work was clear in individual lives and in communities. At the end of a very successful year we can be rightly proud of those achievements. But people still desperately need our help. Unemployment wastes lives, but it damages the economy too. That’s why the help of our supporters, donors and fundraisers is more vital now than ever before to help us achieve our mission.
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I feel more employable. I am so proud of what I have Achieved By the time he was 16, both Ryan’s parents had died. His relationship with his stepfather was so difficult he was forced to leave the family home. But through sheer determination and with our help he has transformed his prospects.
Ryan townsend AGE 18 groundsman
At just 16 Ryan was bereaved and homeless. Without proper support he understandably found himself angry, frustrated and increasingly isolated. At 18 Ryan joined the Tomorrow’s People functional skills programme. He’d left school with very few qualifications, yet his intelligence was obvious. He was also angry and trusted no one. His first few weeks on the course were turbulent. One day his frustration boiled over and he punched a wall, breaking his hand badly. Ryan expected to be thrown off the programme. But instead, his Tomorrow’s People tutors used this as an opportunity to persuade him to accept the help he’d so far refused. It was a pivotal moment, the start of a complete transformation in Ryan’s life.
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Ryan started to accept the help and advice of his tutor, and he began to flourish on the programme. Through sheer hard work and determination, he improved his English, Maths and IT qualifications. He is extremely proud that he gained GCSEs.
Ryan discovered a love of working outdoors. With the help of his Tomorrow’s People adviser, Ryan applied for and moved into supported accommodation. Staff found him conservation work experience with a local park, and he discovered a love of working outdoors. He converted some waste ground into a vegetable garden and through his work as a volunteer grounds keeper, he may have the opportunity to train as a groundsman.
Tomorrow’s People Impact Report 2013
Ryan was with Tomorrow’s People in Maidstone
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John is fast becoming an invaluable member of the team John had to leave his job as a kitchen porter after he was bullied at work. But with our support to rebuild his confidence, he is now back doing the job he loves.
JOhn Burnett AGE 54 Kitchen porter
When he came to the Tomorrow’s People Work Programme, John had been out of work for three years. He also had learning difficulties, which meant he sometimes struggled to express himself. His adviser began to meet him regularly, with the aim of improving his confidence as a first step back to employment. We arranged for him to attend a number of courses, including Suited, Booted and Recruited and Hired and Inspired. He met new people and his self-esteem began to improve. John still felt intimidated by employers, and so we helped arrange for some voluntary work. He was very nervous at first, but the whole team began to see a change in him. He looked happier, felt less nervous and started talking to other staff.
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John actively looked for work throughout the whole process. His determination paid off when he got an interview for job as kitchen porter in a café called The Kitchen in the centre of Bristol. He was successful and was offered 15 hours a week.
John’s determination paid off when he got the job he wanted. He enjoys the work so much that he is hoping’ his employer will increase his hours in the near future.
Tomorrow’s People Impact Report 2013
John was on the Work Programme
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it’s about your future, not your past
We ran employment programmes for adults in some of the most deprived areas of England. We focused our support on people who are the hardest to help.
The adults we helped included exoffenders, people with depression, alcohol or drug problems and people from families where no one in several generations has worked. As well as these barriers, they faced the most difficult economic conditions in a generation. Our tailored support and the determination of individuals proved a winning combination. We supported 3,763 adults. Nearly 40% found work, our highest success rate yet. In our four Work Programme areas, our results were even better, with 47% of people who started the programme moving into jobs. The key to our success in getting unemployed adults into work, education and training lay in our core values. Everyone who came through our doors was treated as an individual, not a number.
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Tomorrow’s People Impact Report 2013
Our staff took people at their lowest ebb, saw them often, and built a rapport. They worked together to build the skills they needed to find work, and inspired them with confidence and motivation. We aimed not only to get people into a job, but also to keep them there. We gave everyone who found work up to 18 months’ support in their new role. We were an encouraging voice in the difficult early weeks and months. And we provided practical and financial help, such as a new set of work clothes or help with transport costs before the first month’s pay comes in.
“Earning a wage gives you options and opportunity. You meet new people. It opens up your world.” Nicci Peck, Head of Project, Tomorrow’s People
With our proven way of working, in future we hope to move even more people from a life dependent on benefits to a better future in work.
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We’re makin real differe BUT WE Can’t DO IT ALONE. Talk to us about how you can help us transform people’s lives through work. Call sam sheerer, corporate partnerships 020 3405 3368 partners@tomorrows-people.co.uk
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The only way is up and that’s exactly where I am going Keeley had no work history and left school with no qualifications. She grew up in care, and with 13 foster families, had no stability in her childhood. But she took control and changed her life for good.
Keeley weston AGE 21 Warehouse assistant
Keeley was bullied at school and preferred to hang out in the streets rather than be in class. She developed a drinking problem in her teens. As a result she left school with no education, qualifications or direction in life. Life got even worse when she entered into an abusive relationship. She was hospitalised several times and developed a fear of men. Then, in her words: “I walked out of my house and into Tomorrow’s People. I never looked back.”
She found the strength after months of support and specialist services to leave her abusive partner. During this time, we worked with her to rebuild her confidence and self-esteem. Meeting new people at coffee mornings were a big step for Keeley. We started five months of one-toone meetings with Keeley to build her employability. These covered motivation, interview skills, applications, telephone skills, CV writing and jobsearch.
“I love my work and I am so happy for the first time in my life.”
This intensive work transformed her selfbelief, ambition and prospects. She started to look for and apply for jobs. It wasn’t long before she found a full-time position as a warehouse assistant. She passed her six-month probation with flying colours.
Keeley joined our Getting Families Ready for Work project in Maidstone. We referred her to counseling sessions for an eating disorder, and for help with her alcohol addiction.
Keeley says: “Before I came to Tomorrow’s People I couldn’t even leave my house without getting panic attacks. They helped me open up and realise I wanted so much more from life. “I love my work and I am so happy for the first time in my life.”
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Tomorrow’s People Impact Report 2013
Keeley was on the Getting Families Ready for Work programme.
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A WAVE OF Positivity We turned ‘unemployed’ into ‘employable’. We helped transform the confidence, qualifications and ambitions of thousands of young people and adults.
“Others see you as ‘unemployed’. Tomorrow’s People see you as an individual with potential.” “I walked out of my first Appointment thinking there’s light at the end of the tunnel. You know, I can actually imagine myself getting back into work...” “It’s like this wave of positivity.” “I’ve just started doing volunteer work. When I started I had severe depression, and it’s just completely changed me.” “They don’t just leave you once you go into work.”
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Tomorrow’s People Impact Report 2013
Thanks to Tomorrow’s People I am back in longterm work Chris was a skilled and experienced house builder, but after a serious road traffic accident he found himself out of work for four years. But he has successfully rebuilt his future.
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Chris o’hara AGE 36 Builder
After being involved in a road accident, Chris suffered serious head, back and collar bone injuries. He was in and out of hospital for several years having operations for his injuries.
Chris’s adviser discussed his long-term goals with him and put together an action plan, with clear stages to help him get back to work.
His kidneys then failed as a result of his medication. At this point he hit rock bottom. He began to feel he would never be well again.
His adviser began a month of intensive support. Together they wrote a full tailored CV, got references from all his previous employers, and applied for the specialist card he needed to get work as a skilled house builder.
Chris has worked Tirelessly to get back into the building trade.
Chris found a bricklaying course at a local college. We funded his transport from Bristol to Weymouth for the course and he got up in the early hours every day to attend.
Chris had always done a physical job, but he began a long and painful struggle to learn to walk again, with the help of an orthopaedic girdle and walking sticks.
Within a week of passing the course Chris was back in work building houses for Barratt Homes. He has also managed to line up other contracts - he has rebuilt his future in work.
By the time he joined Tomorrow’s People on the Work Programme, he was recovered physically but he had lost his self belief.
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Tomorrow’s People Impact Report 2013
Chris was on the Work Programme
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unlocking the talent of THE nexT GENERATION
Working It Out is our lifechanging programme for unemployed young people. We brought the programme to Bristol, so that more young people from disadvantaged backgrounds get the support they need to find a job. 85% of young people who completed the programme across England and Scotland went into work, education or training.
Taking part in Community Challenges gave young people with little experience of work a chance to build their CVs. Tasks such as decorating community buildings, or refurbishing parks and playgrounds, allowed them to show an employer what they can do. Our partnership with businesses large and small was one of the foundation stones of this success. Companies offered young people CV and interview training, acted as mentors and provided work experience. Bridges were built. Young people who may have thought working in a large company was not for them had their aspirations raised. And employers met young people who could bring a lot to their organisation. We intervened even earlier in some young people’s lives. We worked with the Private Equity Foundation to improve the chances of young people struggling in school.
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Tomorrow’s People Impact Report 2013
Young people who leave school without qualifications or experience of work are most at risk of long-term unemployment. Research we commissioned shows that 14 is a key age to intervene to change a young person’s future. Our ‘super coaches’ worked with more than 700 pupils in 14 east London schools. They had a positive impact on young people’s behaviour, attendance, attitude and aspirations. All this is key to help them achieve in school and successfully make the move to work. Over five years from 2010-15 we will be making a real impact to reduce the numbers of young people not in education, employment or training in the area.
Our partnership with corporates gives a chance to young people whose CVs may be chucked on the ‘no’ pile. Because we know that many of them are absolute firecrackers.” robbie Smyth, Young People’s Services Manager, South, Tomorrow’s People
We hope this will become a model to give young people a chance of an independent working life.
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For every ÂŁ1 on our prog society ben by at leastÂŁ An investment in us is an investment in society. Call ABI LEVITT, Development Services 0203 405 3367 supportus@tomorrows-people.co.uk
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I’ve grown up and changed my mindset After doing his GCSEs Nadim dropped out of college and started hanging out with the wrong crowd. He got into trouble with the police and he served time on remand for burglary and street robbery. He was released just before his 18th birthday and was determined to make a new start.
Nadim Ahmed AGE 18 Mechanical apprentice
Nadim struggled to find work and was referred by his youth offending team to the Tomorrow’s People Working It Out programme for young people. He had already taken an important decision: no more crime. His advisers on the programme arranged for him to do work experience shadowing ushers at the Old Vic Theatre. The experience proved that Nadim was serious about making a fresh start. The young people on the programme were set Community Challenges. Nadim began to take the lead, even though he didn’t enjoy them all, saying: “I did them anyway to help the group.”
After an interview and a successful oneweek trial, Nadim achieved his ambition and was taken on by a local employer as a mechanical apprentice.
it proved Nadim was serious about making a fresh start. He has also spoken to youth workers at a youth offending forum about how he moved his life on with the help of the youth offending team and Tomorrow’s People.
He did a short engineering course and a customer service course and developed an interest in work as a car mechanic. We helped prepare him with mock interviews, grilling him with questions about the trade and customer service.
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Tomorrow’s People Impact Report 2013
Nadim was on the Working It Out programme 37
My first day At work was the best day of my life Tim had a complex family background and a young cousin committed suicide through a drug overdose. The 17-year-old had no positive role models in his life, only ‘street friends’.
tim dinnage AGE 17 landscape gardener
When he came to Tomorrow’s People Tim had been out of education since he was 14. He was homeless and sofa surfing. We quickly discovered Tim had a very positive attitude. He really wanted to work - he just didn’t know where to begin, and he needed our advice and support.
“tim’s progress has been outstanding. taking him on was an investment in our business.” We arranged for him to do two days’ work experience at a local landscape company, Frogheath Landscapes. It was a turning point. His comment after the first day was: “It was the best day of my life.”
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Tim showed his fantastic determination when he offered to continue as a volunteer. The business owner, Steve Moody, was so impressed that he gave him a paid work trial. Tim is now working full time and has started a horticultural apprenticeship. Tim has flourished in the role – and has also helped Steve expand his business. Steve says: “Tim’s progress has been outstanding. Taking him on was an investment in our business.” Tim says: “The apprenticeship will give me qualifications for life, but most of all I am really happy. I love my job and look forward to going to work every day… and getting paid! I am taking driving lessons and I pay my bills. “I have a future.”
Tomorrow’s People Impact Report 2013
Tim was on the Works! programme
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The power of community
We showed what can happen when a community comes together with a shared goal. We mobilised the business community of Heathfield to get behind its young people who needed support to find work.
Unemployed young people in this East Sussex town faced major barriers: No employment advice Poor transport Limited internet access Getting local employers on board was vital. We went into partnership with the business community to launch Heathfield Works!, an intensive ten-week programme of work experience and mentoring for young people in danger of being excluded from the jobs market. In its second year the programme proved its impact. We developed the Heathfield 100 club with the aim of engaging 100 business and other supporters in three years. In fact after two years we have 111 active supporters who volunteer, donate or provide gifts in kind.
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Tomorrow’s People Impact Report 2013
With poor broadband links, growing a thriving network of local employers was key. They gave young people the chances they need to get into work. In turn, businesses from banks to vehicle hire, from landscape gardeners to cheese-makers, have benefited from the skills and labour of the community’s young people. We more than doubled our numbers from the first year: 47 unemployed young people who went through the programme have swapped a life on benefits for work, education or training.
96%
of young people went into jobs, training or back to college.
The Works! model was so successful that we expanded to Hailsham, a second town in East Sussex. We now have two more locations planned so that more unemployed young people can look forward to an independent future in work.
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To do our bit we need you to do your bit
Disadvantaged young people and adults urgently need our help. Talk to us about how you can help us raise the funds we need to run our proven employment programmes. Call ABI LEVITT, Development Services 0203 405 3367 supportus@tomorrows-people.co.uk
Special thanks to APS Group for printing this report. www.tomorrows-people.org.uk Tomorrow’s People is registered in England and Wales, no. 5017566 and is a registered charity, no. 1102759 in England & Wales and no. SC040784 in Scotland. Registered office: Tomorrow’s People Trust Ltd, 1st Floor, Minster House, York Road, Eastbourne, East Sussex BN21 4ST
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Tomorrow’s People Impact Report 2013
Mission: employable a year of impact and innovation 2012–13