Pictured above: Rebecca Astley-Brewer has been training as a
shop manager at Acorns Children's Hospice with support from
Pertemps People Development Group
A caring voluntary worker has set her sights on becoming the
manager of a childrens hospice shop thanks to help from a major
employment services and training provider.
Rebecca Astley-Brewer ended her long-term unemployment ordeal
when she was given the opportunity to train as a shop manager for
Acorns Children's Hospice. She used her own initiative to set up
voluntary work and had support from Pertemps People Development
Group (PPDG) and employment coach Chris Sly.
The 21-year-old, from Tamworth, had been volunteering for more
than a year when PPDG offered her the chance to secure a part time
position at the Acorns Children's Hospice shop in Rugeley.
Rebecca was referred to PPDG by Jobcentre Plus under the
Flexible New Deal initiative. PPDG is delivering FND in Tamworth
and across Staffordshire as part of the Government's Welfare to
Work strategy. PPDG uses its vast experience to provide tailored
solutions that help local jobseekers secure employment and training
opportunities.
Rebecca jumped at the chance of joining the team at Acorns
Children's Hospice and, after spending several months at its
Rugeley branch, she has now moved to an outlet in High Street,
Brownhills, to further her experience.
She is now helping other unemployed PPDG customers find a route
back into work by providing volunteering opportunities at her
shop.
She said: "I had completed an art and design course at college
and couldn't find employment when I left at 19. Jobcentre Plus put
me in touch with PPDG and I completed a volunteer course.
"I was volunteering for a year and then PPDG helped me with the
opportunity to join Acorns Children's Hospice for a paid part time
position. I couldn't thank PPDG enough for the help and support
they have given me - they have been absolutely brilliant and have
supported me all the way."
She added: "I absolutely love the work. I am still training to
be a manager but I hope to run my own shop one day. I love working
for Acorns as I think it is an absolutely brilliant cause. I am
just grateful for PPDG for putting the opportunity my way."
Chris said: "Rebecca has done fantastically well to secure a
management position and responsibilities at her age. It was obvious
to me from the start that she had very strong management potential,
the ambition to succeed and the right personal qualities. These
included a very helpful and caring disposition along with excellent
people, IT and administration skills. She has expressed an interest
in gaining management qualifications to go with her experience and
PPDG is in a position to offer her various management and team
leader workplace NVQs to help her in her very promising career.
"She has not forgotten about us and always contacts us with
offers of voluntary placement and vacancy updates."
PPDG's relationship with Acorns Children's Hospice stretches
back many years. The company has staged fundraising events for the
charity and has provided volunteers to help at the hospice in Selly
Oak, Birmingham.
PPDG's team of employment experts provide advice on benefits,
confidence building, one-to-one support, CV and interview
preparation as well as finding the right job or training course. In
partnership with DWP, the Ministry of Justice and Jobcentre Plus,
PPDG delivers a diverse range of employment and training
initiatives including Flexible New Deal, Working Neighbourhoods
Fund, Learndirect and many ESF funded programmes. More than 100,000
job seekers have been helped into sustained employment by the
company since the projects began. It has trained 130,000
people in vocational skills, and over 175,000 people have
benefitted from professional information, advice and guidance
services.