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

Network Peterborough

On 9th April the Peterborough Christian community is invited to join together as one. We will; celebrate and listen to the stories of Christian projects that are changing lives, mix with and hear from civil leaders such as Peterborough city council chief executive Gillian Beasley OBE about what is important in Peterborough for 2011 and beyond, learn the story of Network Peterborough and how it can support you and your dreams, be inspired through Christian poets, photography from young people and music from local Christian band The Following and have the opportunity to discuss how together we can further the kingdom of god in our communities. For more information visit networkpeterborough.org.uk