Call For Residents To Help On Action Days

Residents living in the Herlington area of Orton Malborne are being invited to help on a project to visually improve their community as part of action days commencing on Thursday 26 May 2011.

Cross Keys Homes and the SaferPeterborough partnership are holding the two, two-day action days on Thursday 26 May and Friday 27 May, and also on Thursday 2 June and Friday 3 June.
The action days will consist of removing graffiti, replanting flowerbeds, painting bollards, clearing rubbish and generally making the area more attractive.

Local schools are also being invited to join in and take part in a competition to design a new Herlington sign for the area.

Cross Keys Homes’ director of operations, Claire Higgins, said: “These action days are all about making a difference to where people live and also giving local residents the opportunity to talk to people representing those services that are so vital to the city, such as the police and the fire service, about what’s happening locally and those things that might be worrying them. There can be a whole range of concerns, for example anti–social behaviour in the area or a genuine fear of crime that might be being felt.

"We really hope to meet as many local residents that we can so that we can continue to make progress on our role as being more than just a landlord in the city by listening to what matters to people and doing something about it as well as improving the overall living environment for all residents."

Lisa Emmanuel, south area neighbourhood manager for the SaferPeterborough partnership, said: “The response from residents wanting to take part in the action days has been great and we look forward to helping the local community improve the area in which they live. The project has been supported by several organisations and a partnership approach to improving neighbourhoods strengthens the sustainability of the work we are undertaking.”

This community project is a multi-agency project in support of Cross Keys Homes’ promise known as a ‘local offer’ about improving services and working with other organisations to address particular local concerns. This project was identified by local residents who were keen to see the area improved.

The project will end with a street party event - ‘The Big Lunch’ - on Saturday, June 4 from 12 noon until 2pm, for all those who took part in the project to come together and celebrate. It is hoped the winning school will also be announced on the day.

For further information about this event or to register your interest in helping out, call Rebecca Cook on: 01733 864567.

If you are a local company who would like to donate any plants, paint or equipment to this project, please also call Rebecca on the above telephone number.

Bourne band Powersurge need your text votes

TEXT votes are desperately needed to help a young rock band get through to the national final of a talent competition.

Bourne band PowerSurge failed to win the judges’ vote at the regional finals of the Live and Unsigned competition at Bedford Corn Exchange on Saturday last week - but they still have a chance of success.

The 16 acts which didn’t get through have been thrown a lifeline and must now battle it out to win the highest number of text votes from their fans.

Will Beavis, Ben Keast, James Bailey, Josh Henson and AJ Thomas, who are all 12 and 13, are currently at the top of the leaderboard and are hoping to win so they can take part in the final at London’s O2 Arena on July 23 and be in with a chance of winning a recording contract, festival slots and a UK tour.

Drummer Will said: “To all those who couldn’t come and watch us perform, please support us now by texting - we need you all to vote and keep voting. This is our dream.”

PowerSurge has just more than a week to secure as many votes as possible to get them to the final.

Live and Unsigned is the largest national music competition for unsigned original musicians and bands in the UK so a place in the final would be a major boost for their future career.

To vote for the boys text “wildcard 304” to 84222. Texts cost £1 plus the cost of a text message.
Voting will then close at midday on Wednesday, May 25

The FJF Work Club

This Thursday marks the second session of the FJF Work Clubs. It promises to be a very exciting event! We have invited a guest speaker to help you tackle questions on what employers are looking for. The Work Club has been designed to be interactive with the majority of the input coming from you guys so that you can get the most out of it. We therefore recommend you bring along particular questions that you would like help with! Please bring along your CV’s as our expert from Coulter Elite Resourcing will be offering tips and advice to help you improve your CV.

Wendy Coulter from Coulter Elite Resourcing will be our guest this week. At the beginning of the session she will be talking to you about what employers are looking for and at the end of the session will be available to answer all questions and give CV advice.

For more information or to come along please feel free to contact me.
Best wishes

Insiya Salam- Employer Engagement Manager
Tel: 01733 863770 or email: insiya.salam1@peterborough.gov.uk

Amy Marshall - Learner Engagement Administrator at Intraining

Amy Marshall was unemployed before gaining the opportunity to get back into work at Intraining as a Learner Engagement Administrator. Amy started on the 18 October 2011.

Intraining is a national organisation with a handle on local issues that is meeting the training and employability needs of employers and employees across the UK. They operate out of a network of 80 regional offices across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and enjoy long-standing relationships with employers, funding bodies and training providers across the UK. They offer national delivery of Welfare to Work contracts alongside an extensive portfolio of Learning and Skills Council funded Train to Gain and Apprenticeship programs covering all major sectors of industry and commerce.

“As a Learner Engagement Administrator I am responsible for Processing learner certificates, learner record keeping, awarding body registrations, compiling survey results, invoicing, web-based research and general admin duties.” “I have really enjoyed working for Intraining. The people within our team have made me feel really welcome; the working environment is so relaxed. I have particularly enjoyed working within North East team and was very pleased to hear that they were thrilled with my contribution to their team.”

“I would like to thank all of the Future Jobs Fund Team who have all been so helpful and nice throughout my time on the FJF scheme.”

When asked about the Future Jobs Fund and its benefits. Hannah said “I would have definitely recommend this scheme to others but was disappointed to hear it was coming to an end, it is such a great way to get into work whilst giving you the chance to learn whilst earning a wage.”

Meet Hannah Harding

Hannah Harding was unemployed for over 6 months before gaining the opportunity to get back into work at Opportunity Peterborough as a Team Assistant. Hannah started on the 22 November 2011.

Opportunity Peterborough is an Urban Regeneration Company in the United Kingdom, established in April 2005, to manage the billion pound transformation of Peterborough and to ensure that the city centre develops in parallel with Peterborough's planned growth. Urban Regeneration Companies are private companies that seek to achieve a radical physical transformation of their areas through master planning and co-ordinating financial assistance to developers from both the public and private sector. Opportunity Peterborough is a company limited by guarantee provided by three partners - Peterborough City Council, the East of England Development Agency and national regeneration agency English Partnerships.

“As a Team Assistant I am responsible for providing administrative services along with booking rooms for courses and meetings, this includes setting the rooms up before and after the meetings. I have to open up our two big meeting rooms. I then lay out the room in boardroom style. Also I get all the teas and coffees and any snacks that they might want. When the meetings are having their breaks, I go in and re do all the coffees and teas for when they come back in. I also answer the telephones and deal with issues and take messages.”

“My first two weeks were really good. Everyone in the office helped me out a lot. They often showed me new things and how to best do the tasks I would be undertaking.”

“I have really enjoyed working for Opportunity Peterborough, as the working environment is so relaxed and I have found everyone easy to get on with and helpful. My line manager is really easy to talk to about everything and anything, and has always been so understanding.”

“I would like to thank all of the Future Jobs Fund Team as they have always been so helpful and have always helped when I’ve needed something sorting out.”

When asked about the Future Jobs Fund and its benefits. Hannah said “I would say the Future Jobs Fund has been very helpful for unemployed people and has helped me learn many new skills.”

David Rae-Clarke - Assistant Technical Officer for Pathology at Peterborough City Hospital

When I got offered the Assistant Technical Officer position I felt as if I had won the lottery as the position was directly in the field of work that I wanted to go into.

Before hearing about the position, I had all but given up hope of finding a job working in a laboratory and felt that the only option left for me was seasonal work in the retail industry. Upon hearing that I had received the position, I was delighted and promised myself to make the most of the experience.

My role within the laboratory consists of me labelling, booking in, loading and unloading samples. Restocking and replacing items. Sterilising the work areas and equipment. Finding samples for more tests.

For the first week I was very nervous when I wasn’t being supervised and could hardly remember any of the scientist’s names. I would return home form work tired but happy. Nevertheless, I very quickly began to feel like part of the group, talking and joking more with the other scientist.

My supervisor (Jayne) has been continually supportive of me throughout my placement. She has made sure that I was never given tasks that she knew I couldn’t carry out and made sure to keep my work challenging.

This scheme is ideal for unemployed people who are enthusiastic about starting a career but have no or little work experience. The support you get both in the work place and from The Future Job Fund has been fantastic. As well as that, I have had the opportunity to undergo training programmes such as First Aid and Health and Safety. The scheme has made me far more confident about myself and my future.

FJF Work Club

Our first Work Club promises to be a very exciting event! We have invited a guest speaker to help you tackle various interview questions and what the best ways are to answer them. The Work Club has been designed to be interactive with the majority of the input coming from you guys so that you can get the most out of it. We therefore recommend you bring along particular questions that you would like help with and any questions that have stumped you at previous interviews! If you happen to have interviews coming up then please prepare some questions that you feel you might be asked so that we can go through them together as a group.

Philomena Fahy from Utility Aid will also be dropping by at the beginning of the session to talk about current vacancies available within the company. Please bring along CV’s for her in case the jobs interest you!

For more information or to come along please feel free to contact me.

Best wishes

Insiya Salam- Employer Engagement Manager

Tel: 01733 863770 or email: insiya.salam1@peterborough.gov.uk