Member Article

United 4 Employment Graduates Celebrate Success

Twelve participants from Newcastle United Foundation’s, United 4 Employment programme celebrated their graduation with heartfelt presentations in front of family, friends and funder, Your Homes Newcastle, recently.

The course was delivered at Walker Activity Dome and on the Club’s home turf, St James’ Park and uses the brand of Newcastle United to inspire learning while raising adults’ self-esteem, aspirations and motivation to achieve. United for Employment is designed to help participants gain employability skills and encourage those out of work to move back into employment, training or education.

Having participated in the ten-week programme that included sessions to improve mental and physical fitness and work placements, the participants were awarded with certificates and goody bags to commemorate the graduation.

Surrounded by their family and friends, three of the participants were welcomed to the front to talk about their time on the course and what they felt they had achieved. In touching speeches, they highlighted the fantastic support they received from the Newcastle United Foundation staff and the host companies that had helped them to this point. The speeches also mentioned how the course had particularly helped with their confidence and allowed them to form new and lasting friendships.

Newcastle United Foundation has now run four cycles of United 4 Employment, supporting a total of 60 participants, whose combined time out of employment is over 290 years. The course boasts 85% attendance with over 155 qualifications obtained cumulatively. Of the most recent intake, three participants are now in work one has enrolled at university with another four signing up as volunteers with the Foundation.

United 4 Employment is funded by Your Homes Newcastle, an Arms-Length Management Organisation responsible for managing council homes on behalf of Newcastle City Council.

John Lee, Chief Executive of Your Homes Newcastle, said: “Your Homes Newcastle is proud to support the United 4 Employment programme, which is proving to be extremely successful. It is a fantastic way for participants to take the first steps towards gaining qualifications and valuable experience that could lead to employment.

“It was really emotional hearing how much the course has helped individuals come together as a group to develop valuable key skills and their achievements have absolutely exceeded our expectations. I would like to congratulate the participants on their contributions and wish them the very best of luck with their future projects.

“YHN is committed to providing more than just housing for its tenants and United 4 Employment is just one of many projects we’re working on to increase skills and help people get into work. Working with partners to increase employment opportunities for tenants is central to our aim of creating positive living for people in our homes and neighbourhoods and it has proven extremely beneficial to the organisations involved as well as the tenants themselves.

“We’re looking forward to continuing our working relationship with the Newcastle United Foundation and providing many more tenants with this valuable support.”

As well as gaining essential skills to move past unemployment, the programme participants have also given back to the community, raising over £1000 from sponsored activities including an abseil from the top of St James’ Park.

Sarah Jayne Goodfellow, a United 4 Employment participant, commented: “The United 4 Employment programme really inspired us and really boosted our confidence, as well as helping us to develop new skills, so we wanted to help raise money so other people could benefit as much as we did.

“I never thought I’d be able to abseil off the stadium but if there’s one thing the course with the Foundation has taught me is that nothing is impossible and you have to face those challenges!”

Sarah Brown, Newcastle United Foundation Senior Project Officer, was with the participants every step of the way during the programme. She added: “We’re so thankful for the support of Your Homes Newcastle, our work experience hosts and corporate partners - their backing makes a massive impact on the experience the participants have while on the programme.

“I’m delighted that two people have already secured employment and that another two candidates have decided to spend some time volunteering with the Foundation to help support other programmes.

“It’s wonderful to see the change in people and even better that they keep us involved in their lives as they progress, keeping us up to date on all of their achievements.”

For more information on United 4 Employment and how you can enrol on their next course, please contact Sam Mcloughlin at sam.mcloughlin@nufc.co.uk.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Newcastle United Foundation .