11.00am


With Paul off having his meeting, Jordan and I get chance to have a chat about his hobbies; it’s clear he loves music and I start thinking about where else we could look to find a placement for him. I know that in the past we have supported people to work at local radio stations – with one service user even getting their own radio show! Jordan seems delighted at this suggestion and I make a note to start researching this when I get


back to the office. One of the most important aspects of the service we offer is encouraging people to find work that is not only personally satisfying but also allows them to achieve their full potential.


12.30pm


Lunch time! After a quick bite to eat and a catch up with some colleagues, I spend a few minutes checking the UCAS website. I’ve just submitted my application for a place at the University of Greenwich to study for my Masters in Social Work and have everything crossed that I will get in. As well as giving me the practical experience I needed to be able to apply, Vocational Support has also given me a great reference, which I hope will boost my chances of a place.


1.00pm


It’s Thursday afternoon which means Jobs Club. This is a programme I run to help service users improve their CV’s, look for paid employment and apply for jobs. Today I have three of my regular job club attendees in and we get down to work; one of them, Liz, has been doing fantastically well at her placement at Boots, but her dream job is to get paid work at her favourite clothes shop – Primark! Liz and I work on her CV and then I give her a hand to register for jobs on the store’s website.


2.30pm


After a successful afternoon, I use my last hour to contact employers to enquire about placements for our service users. VSS are lucky to have a great relationship with some fantastic employers such as Mc Donald’s, Costa Coffee and Barnardos. I think it’s really important for such well-known companies to demonstrate their commitment to equal opportunities and promoting inclusive practices when it comes to recruiting staff; hopefully this will encourage more companies to do the same.


3.30pm


It’s the end of a busy but productive day and as always, I’ve loved it. When I started working for CIC I was pretty sure that I wanted to be a social worker and this placement has only made me even more certain of that!


You First | www.c-i-c.co.uk | 13


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