Half Term is here…

What a busy week – where has the time gone this half term? The students deserve a well earned break after all their hard work.

I have been able to visit Danielle at Clean Plate and Zulaika and Nathan at Oldham Library this week. It’s an absolute pleasure to listen to them talking about their experience and the skills they are developing through their placements.

End of Term Catch Up from Anne-Marie:

“And just like that, it is the end of the first term and what a busy first term it has been. We have made great progress with our Employability Qualifications and have been working towards to our Maths and English qualifications, building our friendship groups, work around well-being and professionalism, so our College days have always been busy!

Then we have our placement days – this time last year, we were struggling to get out on placements with all the restrictions that were in place around the country but the start of this year has been so different. It has been great to see all the students out on placement, building skills and knowledge from working life, contributing to creating their own meaningful futures.

I have asked the Job Coaches to send me a quick overview of what all the students have been up to over the last term and how they have developed in work skills and confidence in such a short space of time.

I’ll hand you over to Mike first with an update from the Library…”

“During the first few weeks working at the Library all the students have done very well. 

They have started to learn their way around the building and now sign in/out and collect their badges by themselves. 

All the students are beginning to get to grips with the fiction alphabetical shelving and the Dewey Classification of the Non-fiction. 

They worked well as a team to create baby book packs for Health visitors to bring to all new parents in the Oldham area. 

Nathan impressed when he noticed a customer looking lost and asked them if they needed help. Grace and Summer have done a great job revising several sections of the stock and putting new labels in the books. Zulaika has been excellent staying on task and completing all the work she has been set, even delaying starting her lunch until she finished her work. Zulaika is going to be trained on the Reference desk, to help customers with their IT problems and has also applied for a role of a Library volunteer.”

Here is an update from Maria about Josie who has been working at the reclamation room in Uppermill:

“Josie has been at the Reclamation Café in Uppermill since September and is learning lots of new skills and really enjoying the placement.

She arrives for 10am, hangs up her belongings in the back room, puts on an apron and asks the staff what they would like her to do first. Josie is working well as part of the café team and is getting fantastic feedback from all of the staff. She has built up some great working relationships within the team and also with the regular customers.

As she becomes more accustomed to the day to day running of the café she has been able to use her own initiative when she spots a job that needs doing and she gets on and gets things done.

During her working day she has been filling up the condiments, serving food to customers, clearing tables, washing and putting away pots, and is currently learning new skills such as how to grate cheese for the salads and baked potatoes and peeling and cutting eggs. Well done, Josie, what a great start to the year.”

Danielle continues to excel at Clean Plate Cafe:

“Danielle has been doing at great job at the café, working with the team there, the support she is getting, the tasks that she is completing and continually learning new things.

I mentioned a couple of week ago that Danielle has been getting some tips whilst she has been working there and I asked her this morning what she would be spending them on, she told me she hasn’t.

She wants to wait until she has finished at the placement and add them all together so she can see her achievement in full. This is a great way to check your goals!”

Avro update from Diane:

“Well, we have finally finished our term at Avro, the students have worked around the grounds, maintaining the facilities for the footballers, Ged has complimented our students on working in all weathers and making sure everything is clean and tidy. For some of our students, Wednesday will be their final day. Alan has now secured a job at Oldham Council, well done Alan, really proud of how far you have progressed from being at New Bridge School. Jordan will start on the Kickstart programme at Northern Roots. Jojo and Lewis will also be moving placements after half term. I have to say the lads have worked exceptionally well, they have shown they are adaptable, trustworthy and independent. Ged, the caretaker, always thanks the lads, delighted with how they turn up every day, no matter what the weather and get on with it. It’s been a pleasure working with Lewis, Jojo, Alan and Jordan, and I will miss our banter sessions. Wishing you all the best for the future and hopefully you will find your dream jobs. Well done guys, you have been amazing.”

Diane Needham

Oldham Library update from Diane:

Well, we have come to the end of a very successful term at the Library, all the students have enjoyed the placement, gained knowledge of the library system, reception area, the books, the hot desks, computers, children’s book club, repairing and stamping, sanitising zones, also helping the public and working alongside the staff. We also look at employability skills, covering, timekeeping, uniforms, CV’s, role play in the workplace, interviews and being professional with staff and working in a customer service environment.

Grace, Summer and Nathan are a lot more confident, able to work independently and adapting to the world of work. Zulaika is amazing, she is passionate about working at the Library and has put in an application to work on a voluntary basis, good luck Zulaika. The staff always look forward to meeting our students, always smiling and happy to see them, they are always supportive and like talking and helping. Hannah, one of the assistants, has been supporting Nathan, he is so chatty and seems to get on really well with her, he enjoys doing the shelving, stamping and organising the books, he really likes the place to be clean and tidy. Tayla has now joined our team and attended the Library for the first time, she is gaining in confidence, started looking at the Dewey system and is able to return books to the shelves and put in correct numerical order. All the students have shown commitment and are developing their employability skills.

I would like to say a big thankyou to all the students on Future Finders, it’s been a pleasure working with you all, we have had an amazing term and you should all be proud of your achievements. Enjoy your half term.

Our greatest achievement of the term so far is Alan – I am sure that you will have seen his brilliant achievement of gaining paid employment mentioned on our social media pages last Friday…”

As a College, we are so proud of you Alan – WELL DONE!!!!!!

This is not only a great achievement for Alan but has made a positive impact on those within the group, and they are wanting to push themselves to reach their own potential……

There have been jobs applied for, there are things in the pipeline, but I am not going to share these things with you just yet, there are still i’s to dot and t’s to cross! As we get more information, we will, of course, let you know!

We will also be holding Parent’s Evening after half term. These will be carried out over the phone, so one of the job coaches will be in touch to discuss progress around qualifications and making plans for the future.

Have a wonderful half term whatever you are doing!

Rest up and we will see you next term!

Rebeckah & the FFS Team