WCHG achieves Fair Train Gold Standard
Wythenshawe Community Housing Group is delighted to be accredited with the Fair Train Gold Standard – the highest level it awards – for the work it does to offer work experience and help people find work.
Fair Train highlighted a number of areas of best practice which will be shared nationally with other employers looking to enrich their work experience offer.
The two programmes accredited are the School Work Experience Programme for 15 and 16 year olds and the Futures Programme which offers placements to local people deemed in need of the most help to find employment.
Since 2011 WCHG has had over 140 students take part in their School Work Experience Programme and offered 34 placements to local students in Wythenshawe so far this year.
Their Futures Programme has also been a great success with 54 placements for local people who are considered furthest from employment having taken place since 2011. From these 74% have found sustained work as a result - 13% with WCHG and 87% are with other employers.
For instance, Marie from Wythenshawe had been unemployed for 7 years before taking up a Futures placement with WCHG. As Marie explains; “I needed a job… I couldn’t afford my bills and my family were helping out as much as they could. Being back in work has made a huge difference to my life and helped me is so many ways, especially being able to stand on my own two feet.” We are delighted to say that since completing her placement, Marie has now moved on to permanent employment.
Nigel Wilson, Group Chief Executive of Wythenshawe Community Housing Group said; “The impact of WCHG’s Futures programme has been independently valued at £2.2million to society per year. And seeing the success of people like Marie, the Group will continue to invest in the community and the people in Wythenshawe.”
