START YOUR KICK FUTURE - Futures Housing Group

KICK
START
YOUR
FUTURE
School Work Experience Opportunities & Application Form
Hello & Welcome
Thank you for showing an interest in taking part in the Futures Housing
Group (FHG) Kick Start school work experience placement programme
and helping to support and enhance the lives of FHG customers living
across Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire.
About Us
FHG is an innovative business which
provides more than 9,000 affordable
homes throughout the East Midlands.
It also owns a social enterprise and coowns a further education provider.
We provide around 6,000 homes in
Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire and
around 3,000 homes in
Northamptonshire but our ambitious
business plan includes the
development of more than 1,000
homes for rent, homes for sale, shared
ownership and private-market rent.
Not only that, but Futures provides
excellent housing and support
services for our customers and the
local community.
Futures Greenscape, our grounds
maintenance business, is a social
enterprise that provides high quality
services. It is committed to helping
local people get back to work.
Access Training, the further education
and training provider co-owned by
Futures Housing Group, provides a
range of on-the-job training across the
East Midlands. The award-winning
training organisation, which has more
than 30 years of success at helping
people into employment, has
500 learners on apprenticeships and
120 school pupils undertaking
vocational training.
Introduction
This booklet is designed for
students looking to undertake a
work experience placement. Work
experience has several benefits for
students, such as:
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An opportunity to gain an insight
into the world of work;
understanding what is expected
of employers in terms of
attitudes and skills.
The chance for students to
broaden awareness of potential
career options they may not
have considered before, and
make an informed decision
about available options after
compulsory education ends.
An opportunity for students to
gain a greater understanding of
any training or education
required to success in their
preferred career.
The development of skills such
as teamwork, self-initiative and
flexibility.
FHG has successfully supported
students on work experience
placements for a number of years.
As a responsible placement provider
we will:

Ensure students are supervised
throughout their placement.

Provide an induction
programme, including health
and safety instructions.

Provide students with a
placement programme to
manage their expectations of
their time with us, and ensure
they understand their
responsibilities.

Communicate with
teachers/school staff to update
student progress.

Support students with any
evaluation material they are
required to complete.
In return we expect students to
adhere to the relevant FHG policies,
remember they are working in a
professional environment and
endeavor to make a valuable
contribution to the team.
Work Experience Opportunities
FHG offers a variety of work
experience for school pupils that will
give students an overview and taster
of different roles within the company.
There are two office bases, one in
Ripley, Derbyshire and another in
Daventry, Northamptonshire.
FHG can accommodate a maximum of
one week per student in a variety of
roles. The core areas in which we can
support placements are in the
following departments: (please note
that these roles are not inclusive and
tasks may vary accordingly.)
Neighbourhoods
In the Neighbourhoods team, you will
be working alongside Neighbourhood
Officers/Housing Officers, Street
Wardens (Ripley only), Tenancy
Sustainment Officers (Daventry only)
and Customer Engagement Officers.
These team members visit tenants at
their properties, inspect the gardens
and communal areas, respond to
various enquiries that tenants have,
and discuss any issues or breaches of
tenancy. In this placement, as well as
finding out more about what the team
members do, you will assist in an
administration role – scanning and
filing documents, sending out formal
letters and other relevant tasks.
This placement would suit someone
who has a commitment to customer
care and is a good communicator with
people at all levels.
Painting & Decorating and General
Duties
Working with team members at
Futures Greenscape, this placement
will involve assisting in the clearing
and cleaning of ‘voids’ (empty houses),
and undertaking the painting and
decorating work needed to the internal
and external parts of the properties.
The work needs to be completed to an
excellent standard, as the team
prepare properties to be let out to
customers.
Please note: for this role you will be
required to provide your own steelcapped boots – please talk to your
school if you do not have these.
Grounds Maintenance
Executive Support
Grounds maintenance operatives
assist in the upkeep of communal
areas around customer properties.
This may involve planting, weeding,
sweeping up cuttings, shrubbery
management or litter picking. We want
our customers to feel proud to live in
an FHG neighbourhood, and the
grounds maintenance operatives strive
to make the areas clean, tidy and
inviting.
The Executive Support team provide
the directors of the business with
essential secretarial support. Liaising
with other departments in the
business, as well as customers,
councillors, board members and
directors, the team manage incoming
and outgoing communications from the
directors efficiently and professionally.
This placement is suitable for a
student with excellent communication
skills, who enjoys utilising their
organisational ability.
Please note: for this role you will be
required to provide your own steelcapped boots – please talk to your
school if you do not have these.
Independent Living/Support
Services
Communications
The Communications team is
responsible for communicating a
variety of important business
messages to the public, our customers
and employees. This placement would
suit a student with a keen interest in
social media and ideas of how this can
innovatively be used to benefit a
business. You will also need to have
an excellent quality of written and
verbal English language, and be
passionate about creatively
communicating messages to different
groups of people.
Customer Services
The Customer Services team is the
first point of contact for all customer
enquiries into the business.
This placement will involve listening in
on incoming calls to appreciate how to
handle queries in an efficient and
friendly manner, sorting incoming post
into the business and helping on
reception. This placement is ideal for a
‘people person’, who is looking for a
career based in customer service.
Futures have a range of choices to
help customers live independently in
their homes for longer. Futures offer
accommodation and specialist
Telecare (Lifeline) equipment to
provide peace of mind and to promote
good health and wellbeing for
customers. The Independent Living
and Support Services team visit
customers in their homes and work
with other agencies to promote and
sustain independent living for as long
as possible.
Finance
Our Finance team (Ripley only) is a
key part of ensuring that FHG operates
effectively on a day to day basis. You
will learn about processing payments,
managing budgets and ensuring that
the accounts of the business are kept
up to date.
Income Recovery & Money Advice
Surveyor
The income recovery team is
responsible for collecting overdue rent
and giving advice to customers to
minimise their debts. The income
recovery team work closely with the
money advice team, who provide
information to customers about how
they can maximise their income,
access welfare benefits they may not
know they are entitled to, manage any
debt they owe and budget each month.
This placement would suit a student
who is potentially looking at financial
services or money advice roles.
The Surveyors carry out inspections
on house repairs and maintenance,
deal with customer requests for
alterations to properties and work with
the repairs team to ensure that homes
are maintained to a high standard.
This is a great placement for a student
who wants a career based out of the
office, where every day is different.
Repairs
Development
There are a number of different Multi
Skilled Operatives who help to
maintain and repair our properties.
This placement is a great opportunity
to see what a day in the life of an
operative is like. You would be
spending most of your day out and
about as well as visiting customer
homes.
Futures is committed to building new
homes, including properties for market
rent, shared ownership and affordable
housing. Spending time within our
development team will enable you to
gain valuable insight into some of the
processes and plans that are put in
place to ensure that housing demand
is met.
Please note: for this role you will be
required to provide your own steelcapped boots – please talk to your
school if you do not have these.
Please note: for this role you will be
required to provide your own steelcapped boots – please talk to your
school if you do not have these.
Application Process
We accept work experience
applications between 1st September
2016 to 31st January 2017 to
undertake a placement between 1st
March 2017 to 31st July 2017. We
are unable to accommodate school
work experience placement
opportunities outside of these
timescales.
You will be required to complete the
attached application form and submit
before the deadline of 31st January
2017. Priority will be given to those
students living in Future Housing
Group properties.
Applications will be assessed by the
Employability and Community Officers
and all students will be contacted to
undertake a telephone interview as
part of the application process.
Please state on your application form if
you have any additional needs that we
need to be aware of to help support
you through this process.
Equal Opportunities
Futures Housing Group offers work
experience placements to school
students regardless of their gender,
sexual orientation, disability, religion
or ethnicity.
What happens next?
Step 1
Please complete the application form
and return it to Futures Housing
Group
Step 2
Application form assessed by the
Employability & Community Team
and a telephone interview will be
arranged within 10 working days
Step 3
Telephone Interview takes place
Step 4
Decision made and student informed
Step 5
Confirmation letter sent to student
and school
Step 6
First day letter sent to student and
school 30 working days before start
of placement
Guidance for Schools

All correspondence will be sent
directly to the school as well as
to the student.

Some roles do require personal
protective equipment (PPE),
however, if you are unsure if a
role requires this, please
contact the Employability &
Community Team.

Full placement details are sent
no later than 30 working days
before the start of the
placement.

Some roles are based in our
communities, therefore, if you
need to visit a student during
their placement, please give us
as much notice as possible so
we can arrange this for you.

FHG insurance certificates can
be made available to you on
request. If you require a copy of
these please let the
Employability & Community
Team know.

FHG is committed to equal
opportunities. If a student
requires any additional support
during their placement, please
let us know.

Students will be encouraged to
complete a short programme
booklet during their time with
us. This is part of our dedicated
support to provide employability
guidance to our communities. A
copy of the booklet can be
forwarded to you on request.

All students who complete our
work experience placement
programme will receive a
certificate.

FHG is always trying to improve
its work experience placement
programmes. We would love to
hear any feedback that you may
have about our placements. If
you would like to feedback,
please contact the Employability
& Community Team.
School Work Experience Application Form
1. Your Details
Title
Forename(s)
Address
Surname
Known as
Post Code
Daytime Tel
Evening Tel
Mobile
Email
How would you prefer us to contact you? Email, Telephone, Mobile, Text
(please circle)
Main Language
Other Languages
Date of Birth
Are you a FHG tenant Y/N (please circle)
2. School Details
School Name
School Address
Post Code
Name of Schooll work experience coordinator
Daytime Tel
3. Work Experience Details
Work experience dates requested
Please list your top three work experience positions?
1.
2.
3.
1. School Details
4. Other details
Are you related to or known by any employee, former employee, board director or
tenant? Yes/No (If ‘yes’ please state their name and relationship to you)
Do you have a disability? Yes/No (If ‘yes’, do you require any adjustments? Please
give details.)
Do you have any medical conditions which Futures may need to take into
consideration? Yes/No (If ‘yes’ please give details.)
5. School De
5. Personal Statement
Please write a personal statement (not more than 500 words) explaining why you
would like a work experience placement with Futures.
You may wish to include details of:
-
What you know about Futures
What you wish to get out of your time with Futures
Your future career plans and how the placement would help fit in with those
How your skills and qualities would make you a great addition to the team
Continue on a separate piece of paper if needed.
Declaration
I understand that any placement offered will be subject to the information given on
this form. If successful, I agree to work within Futures Housing Group guidelines and
follow instructions given.
Signed: _____________________ Date: _________________________________
FOR STUDENTS UNDER 18 YEARS OF AGE:
I, the parent/guardian of ___________________confirm that I have read and
understand this form and agree to him/her participating in a work experience
programme at Futures Housing Group.
Signed: _____________________ Date: __________________________________
Parent/Guardian___________________
Please return your completed application form to the appropriate office. Details can
be found at the back of this booklet.
Thank you and good luck!
Contact Details
Daventry Office
Jo Miller (Employability & Community Officer)
Futures Housing Group
Nene House
Drayton Fields Industrial Estate
Daventry
Northamptonshire
NN11 8PB
Ripley Office
Jenny Ball (Employability & Community Officer)
Futures Housing Group
Asher House
Asher Lane Business Park
Ripley
Derbyshire
DE5 3SW
Email: employability@futureshg.co.uk.
Tel: 0300 456 253.
Website: www.futureshg.co.uk