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5 Awards for Steps to Work and customers at Walsall Lifelong Learning Awards

Posted on 01 April 2011.

5 Awards for Steps to Work and customers at Walsall Lifelong Learning Awards

The 13^th Walsall Lifelong Learning Awards were held last night 16^th March, organised by Walsall Lifelong Learning Alliance. The Awards celebrate the extraordinary achievements of people in Walsall.

Last nights guest speaker, Steve Backshall, Naturalist, wide life expert and TV presenter of recent BBC nature series ‘Deadly 60’, Steve wowed the audience with his lifelong learning achievements in finding new species from around the globe.

Steve brought onto the stage, snakes, snapping turtles, python and a beautiful owl hawk. Everyone who attended the awards admired Steve Backshall’s endurance events, his outdoor sports and most importantly his inspirational words had the crowd engaged, excited and enthusiastic. It was joy to watch and we all learnt quite a lot too.

Steps to Work were nominated for 2 awards by Frank F Harrison Community College and Walsall Probation, and have been awarded the Performance through People Raising Aspirations Award for the Mobile Information Unit service, which has been dedicated in supporting offenders into work and is a crucial way of reducing reoffending.

Carol Kendrick, Walsall Probation Service Officer in the Keeping on Track Group says: “The Mobile Information Unit has been providing residents with an outreach service, going into the most vulnerable areas of Walsall to support and regenerate the Borough in one of Walsall’s most deprived areas. The services will include specialist employment advice, employability development, training, subsidised work placements, work readiness, confidence building, mentoring, access to work equipment, childcare, subsidised travel, bespoke tailored support. This is a project individual to Walsall and, there is no other service like it in our area that is supporting communities and giving outreach support to those who need it most and has been very successful so far.”

Steps to Work Future Routes learner, Colleen McCabe, walked away with the Black Country Training Building Better People Award. Having a difficult upbringing and a negative attitude towards school, she left at the age of 16 with no GCSEs or qualifications; she joined the “Future Routes” programme at Steps to Work. She did this to gain extra qualifications before she began her College course at Birmingham College to become a fitness instructor.

 

Andrew Munn, a customer from Work on the Horizon had faced many barriers into finding employment, including some family and personal problems. Andrew had never given up and called into Work on the Horizon asking how to get into care work. Andrew attended courses in First Aid, Food Hygiene, Health and Safety and Manual Handling which would improve his CV. Happily Andrew passed all the courses with flying colours and has since been approaching all the local care homes offering his services voluntary to gain the essential work experience he needs . On top of volunteering towards a better future, Andrew has been teaching youngsters under the age of 14 by becoming a football coach and has been a role model towards younger people teaching them the skills and abilities he has learned and passing this on to future generations. Andrew has been successful in finding employment and starts his new job as a care assistant later this month.

 

Leighanne Chetham from the Community Task Force programme at Steps to Work was recognised for the Walsall Learning Champions Award for her difficult upbringing and exposure to substance misuse, which had prompted her to become a drugs support worker. A placement was sourced for Leighanne at Hi’s and Low’s, a drug user support group, working with users and attending drop in sessions, making time for others who needed to talk to someone.

Leighanne has completed a voluntary extension of her training programme and still continues to work with the people she has always wanted to. Whilst on the programme Leighanne has completed several qualifications including Drugs Awareness, Domestic Violence, First Aid, Health and Safety and is currently expanding her lifelong learning ambitions by undertaking a Level 3 in Care as well as Advice and Guidance.

 

Future Routes Project Officer, Deb Harborne Smith was awarded the Steps to Work, Learning Champions Award, in recognition of her achievements in working with vulnerable young people both inside and outside of work.

 

Congratulations to all 15 nominees who have been recognised for their achievements towards lifelong learning. The evening has been a huge success for Steps to Work and the Walsall Lifelong Learning Alliance, proving that the company is having a positive impact on its community and, is going from strength to strength to support its employees, customers and partners in creating a better skilled society in which wealllive and work.