It’s National Apprenticeship Week, making it a great time to unveil Riverside’s revised GROW Trainee scheme! The programme was set up in 2010 to help people with little or no work experience obtain the skills they need to gain employment. Lee Bailey, Riverside’s National Volunteering Manager, explains more about the new trainee offer…
The GROW (Giving Real Opportunities for Work) programme is in its ninth year and has already proved to be instrumental in giving people the skills and confidence to enter the world of work and gain employment. The programme has helped over a hundred people in to work since the GROW scheme was introduced at Riverside.
It’s aimed at people with lived experience of homelessness, unemployment and/or receiving mental health services so they can help, inspire change and act as positive role models to those who are currently going through the same experiences as they did. The scheme plays an integral role in our commitment to tackle and reduce homelessness.
All GROW trainees are paid a salary and provided with tailored support and training to help them secure a permanent job at the end of the placement.
The newly relaunched programme has been revised and now offers a much broader spectrum of job roles across our Care and Support services. Today’s new offer means that trainees can branch out and start careers in our floating support teams, administration, reception work, as a project assistant as well in Care and Support.
GROW Trainees are on a 15-month placement and study a Level 2 qualification that’s relevant to their role.
Throughout the 15-month duration, trainees receive advice and support from their line manager and GROW mentors to ensure they get the most out of the programme so that they are eased in to permanent employment to develop their career further.
The GROW programme is a great avenue for people who don’t have any work experience, and provides opportunities for them to enter employment, which they might not otherwise have had the chance to do.
Find out more about the vacancies on offer here.