10 March 2015
St Mungo's Broadway is marking National Apprenticeship Week this week by celebrating getting its 100th person with lived experience of homelessness back to work through its client apprenticeship scheme.
St Mungo's Broadway apprenticeship scheme is the only one in the homelessness sector that is open to people who have experienced homelessness. The scheme offers the opportunity to gain 12 months work experience and on the job learning in a St Mungo's Broadway project. Apprentices also undertake social care qualifications at the same time.
Of those that have completed the scheme many have gone on to further full time work with St Mungo's Broadway or with other homelessness charities or slightly further afield.
Main achievements of the scheme are:
Kate Thomson, Apprenticeship Coordinator at St Mungo's Broadway said: "We are delighted with the progress of our Client Apprenticeship Scheme. Our apprentices work extremely hard to get on the scheme, and once on, they work hard and benefit from support as well.
"We work with many people who, for a variety of reasons including poor health, lack of qualifications or unstable housing, find it difficult to work. Our apprenticeship scheme helps to address these barriers, working closely with people to achieve their employment goals to ultimately rebuild a life away from homelessness."
Waad Ahmidi, St Mungo's Broadways 100th Apprentice, said: "The Apprentice Programme has helped me so much in such a short space of time. I am now in a stable full time job, gaining knowledge every day through training and through the practical work at my project.
"It has given me the confidence to push myself in terms of setting up a career within this field. It has given me the structure I needed, has affirmed that I am of value in society and that I can help to bring about positive change."
Another apprentice, Hester, has been working in a project in Lewisham since October 2014. She said: "I was at a stage where I was in my third year of being clean and sober, but I still needed support and I decided I wanted to support people who had been in my situation previously. I got so much support from St Mungo's Broadway and The Apprenticeship Scheme really kept me going. I'm hoping this will lead me to full time employment."
Each year around 150 people apply for one of around 24 places on the scheme. It is open to anyone who has a lived experience of homelessness. Successful candidates are also mentored throughout their journey by their colleagues within the projects.
St Mungo's Broadway has launched a briefing this week which acts as a guide for other voluntary, health and social care organisations considering developing an apprenticeship scheme.
Read the briefing here: http://www.mungosbroadway.org.uk/documents/6202/6202.pdf
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