| Mentors 'Buddy Up' in the workforce |
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USEL and the Royal Group of Hospitals are leading the development of a mentoring scheme through The Employer’s Forum ‘Workforce Buddies Programme’ to provide support to formerly long-term unemployed disabled people and to encourage job retention.
Gwen Mills USEL’s Development Manager stated, “This programme is exciting and innovative on a number of fronts. Firstly it is designed to give appropriate levels of support within the workplace through dedicated one-to-one mentoring and secondly it provides the opportunity for the mentors to achieve a highly prized qualification”
Michael Ryan, Bombardier Aerospace and Chairman of the Employer’s Forum said “ Employers need to appreciate that formerly long-term unemployed people require a special support mechanism to assist them sustain employment. General staff inductions are essential to all new employees, but a long-term unemployed person requires extra help to enable them to make the transition to regular employment. The ‘Workforce Buddies Programme’ provides opportunities to develop newly accredited skills”
The programme requires employees to undertake a training programme to develop their mentoring skills, which is accredited to NVQ Level 3, through the Chartered Institute of Professional Development. The programme is supported by BIFHE. Currently 10 USEL staff members, including those with disabilities, are undertaking the training and are matched to mentor 10 newly appointed and formerly long-term unemployed disabled people.
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| G Mills |
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