Kickstart Scheme
An interview with three young people on the Kickstart scheme.
This year, the council’s Our Newham Work service has collaborated with more than 100 employers to create 450 jobs for young residents who are at risk of long-term unemployment. Sixty of these opportunities are within the council; so far, 25 of these placements have been filled.
Freddie Richardson, 19
Nineteen-year-old Freddie Richardson was desperate to find work – but held back by his blank CV.
With no previous experience, he found employers would not look twice at him.
That was until his Universal Credit adviser put him forward for a Kickstart scheme at the London Borough of Newham.
Freddie said: “I did a BTEC at school and then took a year off, returning to a very bad employment market.
“Looking for a job was very hard. So, being offered the Kickstart placement in the social care procurement department at Newham Council was a dream break!
“I have been working there since August in an administrative role and, gradually, I have been given more responsibility. It is amazing. Before I did this job, I didn’t even know what procurement was.”
Freddie had an interest in working in finance, coming from a family with a lot of experience of working with money.
“My mum and dad both work in a casino,” he said. “And my aunt is employed at a high street bank.”
He said that working for Newham Council has always interested him because his sister had a “very good experience” in a Council role and he had heard at school that working for the Council was “really good”.
Freddie’s experience has chimed with that prediction.
“Working in this role, my interpersonal skills have improved,” he said. “And everybody around me has made me feel very comfortable. They have really helped me.”
Freddie admits that at school he was “not the greatest at exams” and so plumped for a two-year BTEC because of the predominance of course work.
“What is really good about the Kickstart scheme is that you don’t need to have had any previous experience,” he said.
“Completely new people can be trained up on the job in the skills they need. At the end, they can choose to keep you on, but the least you can get out of it is six months of work experience.”
On his first day in his role at Newham Council, Freddie said he was “very nervous” meeting the whole team and his line manager. “You are given a two-week plan and from then on you become a bit more independent. They have trusted me more and more and I have learnt on the job.
“I have really been allowed to work with a lot of different people and have adapted to that.”
Freddie said that, post-lockdown, his team has been easing itself back into the office and he is looking forward to spending more time working face to face with his colleagues.
“If I had the chance I would go in more,” he said. “Being in an office is a big part of the experience of working life.”
As for the future, Freddie said he would be delighted to be kept on in the procurement department and is also interested in working in a financial position at the Council.
As part of Kickstart he has been allowed to spend some time learning about what colleagues in Finance do. “I would be interested in doing accountancy exams while working for the Council,” he added. “People have been really great with me, so I am looking forward to what the future brings.”
Shania Begum, 21
Shania Begum was at low ebb after a serious car crash, job loss and depression when Kickstart came to her rescue.
The 21-year-old – who started with Newham Council in June this year – said: “I got caught up in a major car accident when my car turned over four times.
“It was on a road where the traffic goes really fast. Someone put their foot down as I was changing lane and hit me.
“Thankfully, the airbags went off and I was wearing a seatbelt, of course, and I was largely uninjured, although I had to go to hospital. The person behind me stopped to help and then took me to hospital.”
Shania recalled: “It was very traumatic. The car, which has been a birthday present from my parents, was completely written off.
“And, unfortunately, my previous employer was not sympathetic or empathetic towards me when it happened and didn’t show me much loyalty.
“It put me under more pressure and stress with the outcome that I ended up leaving them, even though I didn’t have another job to go to.
“My grandfather, with whom I had lived and was very close to, also passed away and I was very upset.”
Depressed and grieving, Shania was out of work from mid-January to June, when her Universal Credit adviser put her forward for a Kickstart position at Newham Council, which she was offered.
Shania said: “It has been going really well and has definitely been giving me a lot more opportunities.
“At the Council, they have helped me every step of the way. My line-manager, Robert Brown, has really supported me well, building my confidence.”
Shania is working in the Children's Health and Information Service (CHIS), part of Brighter Futures Directorate and has been given a second role in the Children's Development Service (CDS).
She said: “It has given me an insight into children in Newham. I relate to it because my brother has special educational needs because he is autistic.
“This Kickstart opportunity was a great break for me. I have to give credit to Newham Council for being so accommodating.”
Deborah Missengue, 22
Deborah seeks dream communications career.
Graduate Deborah Missengue longed to start a career in communications – but could not find an opportunity when she first looked.
An over-crowded job market coupled with the impact of the pandemic had made it harder for graduates to get onto the first rung of the careers ladder.
Deborah said: “I graduated in History from King’s College London just as the pandemic started.
“Having university as my most recent experience made it harder to enter the job sector, especially with the experienced competition out there.”
Through the Kickstart scheme, Deborah found a position as a Marketing and Communications Assistant in Our Newham Money.
She was attracted to Kickstart because it was specifically targeted at young people aged from 16 to 25 who did not have long employment history.
“There is a great support system in place,” said Deborah, reflecting on the productive working relationships she managed to build at Kickstart. “You are given the opportunity to shadow everyone in the team, not just your managers.”
Deborah said: “Kickstart provided a platform for people like myself, who are struggling to get on the mainstream job market, to develop actual skills during the placement. Now, when I apply for jobs, I can actually say I do have project management experience and be able to confidently back it up.
“When I started, I had the skills and the intelligence to do the role but I did not come to the job as a ready-made package, there were lots of things I had never done before,” she added reflecting back on the beginning of her journey at the Kickstart Scheme.
Deborah’s placement at Our Newham Money gave her the opportunity to get involved in a number of projects where she was responsible for managing social media campaigns such as #TalkMoneyWeek, analyse data, use different infographic software and even edit videos for the Mayor.
This has prepared her for her next career move and given her the confidence to talk to recruiters about her professional achievements.
She added: “I was put in a unique position where what I brought to the table was listened to, which naturally boosted my confidence. I felt there is something useful I can bring to the world of work and feel successful.”
For more information, read the associated article in the Newham Recorder: https://www.newhamrecorder.co.uk/news/kickstart-scheme-helping-young-people-in-newham-8500564