FURD
FURD employs two workers - Sajaad Rauf and Saudat Adinani - as Talent Match coaches - a Big Lottery Fund programme to provide individually tailored support to young people aged 18-24 to help them access training,education, employment and enterprise.
On 13th December 2016, three of our Talent Match clients were recognised with awards at the Sheffield City Region Talent Match Awards.
Ayat Ali is 24. She started a Level 1 English course at college in September 2016. Around the same time, she started a work experience placement with FURD, working as an admin assistant and developing her office skills. In November she successfully secured a Wage Fund paid position with FURD, working 25 hours a week for 9 months as a Talent Match admin support worker, and is doing really well.
Emma Beveridge has set up her own business, Boo-KU Crafts, making and selling personalised gifts, crafts and cards. Check them out at the link below.
Laura Fieber has gained employment as a project support worker with NOMAD Opening Doors, an independent organisation which offers advice, support and practical help to homeless or inadequately housed people, or those in housing need. Here is the speech she made at the awards ceremony:
"Hi I'm Laura and I work for a homeless charity called Nomad Opening Doors through Talent Match's Wage Fund.
"This year has changed so much for me compared to how I started it. January I was in supported housing and had been signed off work for a couple of years. This lead to me having no confidence in myself and my anxiety took over. I honestly though it would take me years before I was in any form of stable position.
"Through Nomad's guidance and support I started volunteering and then sometime after this I was put forward to Talent Match as Nomad being a charity meant that there was no funding at the time for my position. It was because of this that the Wage Fund scheme was the perfect option. It has given me the opportunity to work for a cause that I feel strongly connected to and a charity that has helped me so much.
"After I got the go ahead to start work I met my Talent Match coach, Saudat and she has been amazing. She organised for me to get training not just in for my job but also for my personal development. She has helped me so much from things like helping with my transport costs to going clothes shopping so I had some things to wear for work. Not only this but she's a friendly face and someone who I could chat to honestly about how my day was going. Plus she knows how to make a good brew so top marks in my opinion.
"As well as this, through being invited to the Festival of Social Sciences I was asked to be on the youth panel, aiming to see if there's any way that Talent Match can improve.
"Personally, for myself, Talent Match has gone above and beyond and I look forward to working with them in the future".
Please get in touch if you think Talent Match could help you or someone you know.
Visit our Facebook and Twitter feeds at the links below to see photos from the awards ceremony.