Pictured: Former pupil Neil Mumford (right) returns to Woodfield School in Coventry as a teaching assistant, greeted by (from left)) Adrienne Fitzgerald, of Coventry City Council, head teacher Mick Chilvers, Councillor Linda Bigham and Gareth Downie, of Pertemps Coachright

A Coventry man has turned his life around and beaten long-term unemployment by going back to the classroom - as a teaching assistant.

Neil Mumford, from central Coventry, has returned to the school he attended as a youngster and is an inspiration to pupils who may be experiencing difficulties through their teenage years.

The 24-year-old secured a full-time job at Woodfield School after impressing teachers during a work placement. He ran sports sessions for pupils at lunch-time and after school. His big break came when he met employment experts at Pertemps People Development Group (PPDG) at Jobcentre Plus.

Head teacher Mr Mick Chilvers, said: "Neil quickly adapted to the school and showed he has empathy with the students. With his own life experiences he has perspective and the skills to set an example and show others how you can change your life with hard work, and improve your self image".

PPDG and Pertemps Coachright worked with Coventry City Council's economy and community team in delivering the Young People's Employment Placement Scheme as part of the Future Jobs Fund programme of support for unemployed people aged 18 to 24. The programme provided six-month placements that had to have a benefit to the community and include elements of training.

It provided an opportunity for young people to develop the skills that employers need within their workforce and acted as a catalyst for them to move into sustainable work and/or apprenticeships within the private sector.

The team worked with PPDG and Pertemps Coachright to deliver placements using recreation and sports as a tool to engage them, develop their skills in team working, provide 'real life work experience' and an opportunity to gain on the job training, confidence and motivational skills that will enable them to get a job at the end of their placements.

Gareth Downie, of Pertemps Coachright, co-ordinated the programme. He said: "Neil has proven to be a shining example of how anyone can turn their lives around and become an example to other youngsters who may have been experiencing difficulties through their teenage years."

After meeting the PPDG team Neil had an intensive interview and assessment day and was selected to attend the programme. He gained a wide range of qualifications through Learn Direct in customer services level 2, community sports leadership, child protection, and football level 1.

Neil, who was a pupil at Woodfield School in Hawthorn Lane, arranged for PPDG to set up a placement opportunity with the headmaster. The school offered him an opportunity to work with them and Neil was used as a peer assistant/teaching assistant, running sessions after school and lunch time in football and other sports.

Gareth added: "His drive and desire to succeed stood out and after impressing not only the students, but teachers as well, he was offered a full time permanent post with Woodfield School as a teaching assistant. It is a remarkable achievement.

"Once again we have gained some outstanding results and achievements, with 13 out of the16 participants achieving employment at the end of the six months with Coachright.. We did have concerns, due to Neil's chequered history, whether or not he would be accepted at the school. However, due to Neil coming across so well at the initial meeting and the school being very supportive of what Coachright and the programme were looking to achieve, the school was prepared to offer him the opportunity of the placement.

"This has proved the stepping stone to where Neil currently is, being employed as a teaching assistant running various sessions within in the school and he is loving every minute of his new role. He is proving very popular among pupils and colleagues, some of whom know him from when he was a pupil attending the school."

PPDG won the five to seven year Work Programme contract as a prime deliverer in the Birmingham, Solihull & Black Country region in a national tendering process carried out by the Government.

PPDG's team of employment experts provides 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 and many programmes financed by the European Social Fund. PPDG came fourth in The Sunday Times Best Companies to Work For 2011.

For more information about Pertemps People Development Group, please visit their website here: www.ppdg.co.uk