November– December 2011
TIMES 5E LIFE LIFE&& TIMES 5E LTD NEWSLETTER
Going Strong in a Weak Economy Within a year, 5E is back on track, with a series of project wins under the new government system. In spite of the upheaval, turnover has been up year-on-year, from £6.2m in 2009-10, to £7.15m in 2010-11. 5E is on target for its planned turnover of £8.5m in 2011-2012 with a surplus of £200k.
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ver the last four- five years, we‟ve constantly grown. And we‟ve grown because of motivation, commitment and skills of our people. Those three things drive growth in the third sector – not necessarily money. If our people didn‟t have the drive and the loyalty factor, then we wouldn‟t be here. In the difficult period we‟ve just come through, Investors in People enabled us to plan strategically for making best use of our people in times of change. We are transitioning into a more
target and performance-driven organisation, at the same time ensuring the ethos, values and culture are intact. Investors in People was able to highlight our effective practices with the leadership, management and development of our staff. Learning never stops and today the skills you need keep changing fast. 5E has a constant learning culture – either to support a current job or for future roles. Our people have more qualifications than are required by the statutory authorities and the concept of multi-
skilling is very important. I say everyone in 5E should be able to do three different jobs in the organisation. We communicate with staff about government plans and try and future - proof the organisation through training and our strategy. I believe that our people are well trained, dedicated, hardworking, committed and loyal to the organisational ethos which in turn motivates me and the Senior Teams in taking on the many different challenges of the disadvantaged in our society. -Raj Doshi, MD, 5E Ltd
Investors in People features 5E Ltd as a shining example of surviving the recession. Source: Investors in People Continued on Page 2
INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Nana plays job-job at Smyth’s Toy Store
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Denise’s makes a cosmetic change at Superdrug
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Steve drives off with a Tesco job in a week
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Angela cleans up the 2012 London Olympics Pg 5 Aneta, Mohamed & Ayten discuss the importance of learning English Pg 8 Hassen and Marzieh have it all—qualifications and work! Pg 9 Sahra, mother of seven, writes about her children in ESOL Entry 2 class Pg 10 Shams from Literacy Level 1 class, finds her first job after 5E puts her on work placement Pg 10
Louis ‘Grandpa Santa’ bags a job at Toys R Us Pg 6
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5E L I F E & T I MES
5E‟S SECRET TO SUCCCESS: INVEST IN PEOPLE
5E
Ltd is a not-for-profit organisation providing vocational training and skills support. Every year they help more than 10,000 unemployed people, but in 2010, it came as a shock to find that they needed all their skills to ensure the survival of their organisation and keep their own people in employment. The Government‟s austerity programme meant that in December 2010 some of the large projects that 5E depended upon for its funding ended. The Government introduced the major new Welfare to Work programme in January 2011 with delivery required from June. Human resources manager Jennifer Vaz: “We had to re-engineer as soon as we knew of the change. We warned the staff there were difficult times ahead and kept everyone constantly informed. By February 2011, we knew there would have to be redundancies. We made ten people redundant. You may not think that‟s many out of 190 staff, but we‟re like a family. It was very painful.”
WHAT DID INVESTORS IN PEOPLE CONTRIBUTE? 5E set about re-establishing the business and winning new work. Jennifer Vaz: “Investors in People helped us to manage the change. Staff worked incredibly hard. Our track record means that we are respected and can demonstrate that we can deliver, and Investors in People Gold definitely adds value in any formal bid.” Investors in People also helped 5E to meet stringent new evaluation measures required under new system. Jennifer Vaz: “To meet with the performance standards of the new pro-
Employee Testimonials
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Continuous Profession Development: 5E advisors and trainers discuss on how to improve provisions for clients (Picture by: Tito Mir)
gramme, we have implemented - for the first time - a target-based performance model. Performance monitoring has become very critical. We review on a daily basis – at the end of every day - to see how m uch has b een achieved. Investors in People has helped us manage our staff in a way that effectively addresses critical issues. It‟s helped us to develop an incentive-based approach that recognises and rewards performance. It‟s been very positive, and Investors in People has helped us boost staff morale in a difficult year.” 5E Managing Director Raj Doshi is determined to ensure that nothing compromises 5E‟s values: “We are trying to implement performance-related pay without being divisive. Some people are quieter; some teams are „back office‟. We need measures of success that include everyone. So we are exploring several models to ensure that we have a fair system and keep everybody motivated – like whole team rewards, for example. I don‟t want a „them against us‟ culture. After all, the team has never let me down and we have achieved high standards – marked by OFSTED Grade 1 (Outstanding Provider), Beacon Status and Investors in
People Gold. All this tells me that our people can work w o n d e r s . ” “Continuous improvement is an integral part of our organisation. The Investors in People assessment has made us understand the things that we can do well and how we can improve. For example, staff now advise us on how we can better align our strategy with what clients need. That grassroots feedback contributes to efficiency by suggesting how things can be done better.”
IMPACT
ON
SUCCESS
5E‟s staff made a huge effort to win new work. Just months after funding for some projects ended, 5E was successful in being a subcontractor for two Prime Contractors for Work Programme. 5E‟s success means that they are recruiting new people and have re-employed some of the people that were made redundant – although some of them never left. Raj Doshi: “Some of the people who lost their jobs carried on volunteering with us – they feel they have a stake, and are valued. Some of these are re-employed by 5E as and when it is successful in new funding”. Source: Investors in People
was fairly new in the company when the redundancies started and as such I was put in the list. But the company offered me a voluntary position and I was happy to take it while I looked for other opportunities. Then when the circumstances improved, 5E offered me a job as the business support officer. Now I am liaising with employers to find jobs for clients.
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Meral Ahmet
Picture by: Ruhi Khan
did some voluntary work at the company during difficult times because I really enjoyed working at 5E a lot and I‟m very happy that the company rehired me when the situation improved. Now I am taking a Numeracy class at Edmonton Green. Thank you Raj.
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Raju Saginala
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5E L I FE & T I MES
“W
e are currently working with 5E, they have helped us with our Xmas recruitment. The staff, a special mention to Aateqah, who has been very supportive throughout the process by helping us recruit many talented employees. Keep up the great work 5E. Look forward to working and developing a partnership for the future.”
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Nazia Mahmood, Commercial Manager, Bhs
Securing the Bhs account
5E staff helped me find myself
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hartered accountant Chetan Coonjobeeharry with 25 years full time experience came to 5E after having difficulty finding work. He had given up his full time position in 2004 to look after his family and was doing self employed and contract work. When he tried to get back into the jobs market he found corporate accountancy firms didn‟t take him on because of his background as they felt he didn‟t have recent experience. He came to 5e with few expectations. Our trainer worked with him on trying to refocus his job goals and look for opportunities in other sectors. Chetan took on board what he was taught and gained confidence and self esteem and began to look at other opportunities. He was put forward for jobs at BHS, Cash Converters, and had sourced his own position at London City Airport. After being interviewed by BHS he was offered a 20 hour a week contract and had second interviews with his other two potential employers. He‟s begun working at BHS in Walthamstow and says that while things are challenging he‟s moving forward and is in preliminary discussions with a retail group to work in their accounts department.
“It
has been a great joy working with Akshay and Aateqah in finding me work as they prepared me for a great journey I enjoyed the training they gave me and the help and encouragement they gave me to find myself again. I thank them all for all they have done for me to ensure that I had a job within the targets we set up for my progression. I am now working at Smyths Toy Store and very happy as it was a while since I have been in work . Words can‟t explain how happy and proud I am to have worked with the 5E team. And with great joy I say thank you all for your wonderful work. - Nana Antwi, who found work at Smyths Toy Store, UK
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fter an initial 3 week trial, I am more than pleased with Nana’s performance and I’m willing to make his trial permanent.” John Davies, Store Manager, Smyths
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5E L I F E & T I MES
HOUSEKEEPING 2012 LONDON OLYMPICS
“I
also received one to one help to apply for jobs and got an interview as a housekeeper for 2012 London Olympic stadium. I will be going for training soon.” - Angela Cassy Simmonds
M Picture by: Srikant Nair
5E opened a new world to Denise
“I
was booked onto a two-day Team Building Program which I found really helpful, as it got everyone in the class to act out roles that happen in the work place, this was done in small groups, we also got to ask questions regarding what employers are looking for.” - Denise Codner, Sales Assistant, Make-up Department, Superdrug
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n November 2009, I was made redundant from my current Retail job. Having to start the whole procedure of “signing on” at the job centre plus, was something I never thought that I would be doing all over again, as I have been unemployed previous years before. For me, the whole process of “signing on” deflates your confidence, as you always think the worst of the situation you are in, and start to lose hope of ever finding a job. But I have to admit that “signing on” wasn‟t as bad as I thought it would have been, as the job centre has developed more options over the years to help people back into work. I was sent on the “Maximus 5E” at the Selby Centre. After the induction day, I had my first appointment with my personal advisor Sandeep. He was very helpful, funny, determined to get me back into the work force, and boosted my confidence regarding finding a job. He asked me questions about my previous jobs, what skills and experiences I had, and what work background I came from. All this information would help him find the right job for me. The first thing I had to do was re-do my C.V. I also had to write a Spec Letter , so that I could send this with my C.V. to different employers in my chosen field. Once this was completed and C.Vs and letters were sent, the waiting process began.
In the meantime, I was booked onto a two-day Team Building Program which I found really helpful, as it got everyone in the class to act out roles that happen in the work place. This was done in small groups and we also got to ask questions regarding what employers are looking for when they read a C.V. interview skills etc. After completing the different training programs, I was asked to come back each week to see Sandeep to continue with my search for different jobs which were available in the Health and Beauty Sector. Finally, a part-time position became available on the Make-Up Department at Superdrug in Green Lanes with Meral of the Employment Support Team. My advisor told me about the job, asked if he could put me forward, as he felt that this would be a good work position for me to start in. Before I knew it, I was sent for a screening at the Watkins House Centre, where I was told in depth about the position that was available. I also had to do a written test to see how much I knew about the company. Once this was done, I was asked to attend an interview on the following Monday at 11am. The interview went well. It went so well, that the following day I found out that I got the job. I was over the moon. Finally I was back into the land of employment. Happy days!
y experience with 5E was amazing as I received help to job search and learned how to send my CV to employers which I didn‟t know how to, says Angela Cassy Simmonds who joined 5E-A4e six weeks job search programme. Her adviser Soniya Akthar recalls how Angela seemed very nervous when she started the programme. Gradually Angela‟s confidence built up and she gained immense confidence and excitement learning new things such as how to email, job search and other aspects of job search. Angela received training on telephone techniques, interview skills, writing CV, cover letter and specific cover letters. “I also received one to one help to apply for jobs and got an interview as a housekeeper for 2012 London Olympic stadium. I will be going for training soon. Thank you Soniya for your amazing help. I am so grateful,” says an excited Angela. Soniya recalls applying for this job with her. “I am delighted that Angela secured a job as a housekeeper. I recall helping her apply for this role. And I feel like I‟ve earned myself a job!” says Soniya.
Rearing to go: Angela secured employment as a housekeeper for London 2012 Olympic stadium. (Pictures by: Ruhi Khan)
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5E L I FE & T I MES
DROVE OFF WITH A JOB IN A WEEK
Driven: Steve Murphy (insert) found a job as a Tesco Delivery Driver in less than a week he joined the Work Programme at 5E– Maximus.
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j o i n e d t h e M a x im u s - 5 E w o r k programme on 27 October and within a week I got a job at Tesco as a Delivery -Lorry driver. I started work on 31 October and I am doing two weeks paid training before I begin work. Its hard work but I am enjoying it.” - Steve Murphy, Delivery Driver, Tesco
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rior to this, Steve worked as a lorry driver for Islington council for two years but was then unemployed for a year following which he was put on the work programme. Steve has 23 years experience as a HGV driver and was glad to have found work so quickly. “I am grateful to 5E that they recommended me for this job and its great to get back into employment. James has been very helpful.,” says Steve. “Steve is a very experience and skilled driver. He is also a wonderful person who was very keen to find employment. We pre screened him to match the skills to the right job vacancy and advised him on interview techniques. He did very well in his interviews and I‟m glad he got the job,” says James Harman of 5E‟s business development team. “Thank you 5E and Maximus. The work programme does work,” says a beaming Steve.
A successful partnership: 5E’s business development officer James Harman found Steve Murphy his dream job with Tesco
“We
Pictures by: Ruhi Khan
pre-screened Steve to match his skills to the right job vacancy and advised him on interview techniques. He did very well in his interview and I‟m glad he got the job.” -James Harman, Business Development Officer, 5E Ltd
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5E L I F E & T I MES
interview was no child’s play
“A
t the interview, they divided us into pairs and asked us to get as much information about our partner as possible by asking him questions about himself and his background and then tell the interviewer everything you learnt about him. It was very challenging but I was able to succeed thanks to the mock interviews and other training offered by 5E. I am thrilled to work at Toys R Us. -- Louis Armoogum
L Grandpa Santa: Louis says his grandchildren are excited he is working at Toys R Us during Christmas
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y experience in the 6 weeks job search was great because it helped me to accomplish things like how to make a CV, how to talk in an interview and how to dress when you attend an interview. All this helped me crack the Toys R Us interview.” - Mogabo Luzolo
ouis came to 5E for A4e‟s six week job search support. He had over ten years experience in varied roles. He worked on the shop floor and also as a painter decorator. “Since I started training with A4e, I have leaned a lot. I am able to use the computer and I feel more confident writing specific letters for work placements and jobs,” says Louis. He was keen to apply to an organisation that will enable him to utilise his transferrable skills. “Being on this course has helped me to gain more experience. I would like to thank the staff for their help. Soniya was a great help.” “Louis is an eager and driven person who with help and motivation has now secured a job.” says Soniya Akthar, his adviser at 5E.
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orgado Luzolo is a highly competent Delivery driver with a flair to adapt to new and challenging situations as well as to acquire and build new skills set. Hence it came as no surprise that Morgada was successful at the highly competitive interview at Toys R Us and is now a sales assistant at their Enfield store. Morgado attended the Toys R us interview and screening workshop with Amin and received one on one help from Soniya on CV, cover letter and job search. “I am happy also that Soniya referred me for a job at Toys R Us and I got it,” says a happy Mogado. “Morgado is extremely happy with his six weeks job search module as he learnt so much. He is ecstatic and very grateful to 5E,” says Soniya.
Success driver: Mogado used his transferrable skills to secure a sales assistant job at Toys R Us.
“W
hile on the work programme at 5E, I enjoyed a friendly and helpful atmosphere, they gave me knowledge on how interviews are conducted, and how to improve your interview confidence. 5E did its very best to help put me for interviews and ultimately get into employment. - Thomas Dicker
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Scored a winner: Thomas Dicker kicks off his employment innings with Toys R Us
homas Dicker joined the Work Programme after being unemployed for a year. He had earlier worked as a builder. Thomas, a avid footballer was keen to move into the retail sector. “Thomas was a motivated job seeker. I created his CV, gave him a tutorial on interview techniques and put him forth for some interviews at JD Sports and Toys R Us. He was successful at the latter,” says Girish Luchmun, his adviser at 5E. “My adviser is friendly and very passionate about his job, who along with other 5E staff did there very best to help put me for interviews and ultimately into employment,” says Thomas. Pictures by Ruhi Khan
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5E L I FE & T I MES
HOW 5E PREPARED CLIENTS FOR TOYS R US RECRUITMENT meet the employers' requirement. These interview. They stand out among their fellow are professionally designed interactive competitors and indeed gain a high self workshops intended to prepare participants esteem as they progress towards their goal. to work for respective companies and gain knowledge and information on their working environments. All training sessions are interactive and informative. Different pedagogies and learnifferent pedagogies and ing/assessing methods are used to deliver learning/assessing methods are used to and assess candidates' abilities to adapt to deliver and the working environment and ethics of the assess cancompany. All participants are required to go didates' abilithrough these intensive training proties to adapt grammes and in-house assessments before to the workthe interview. ing environment and Customers benefit from such ethics of the practical preparations for job application company.” and interviews. Throughout their journey candidates are assessed based on their - Amin participation and performance in the classLakhani, room discussions and activities. Our main Trainer, aim is to enable customers to identify the 5E Ltd requirements of the current job market in terms of understanding their own role and responsibilities at work. Post training candidates feel conPicture by Tito Mir fident and comfortable to attend the actual
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Clients succeed to keep a paper bridge standing as a part of a Team Building workshop at 5E Picture by Amin Lakhani
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e are actively working with a number of employers like Toys R Us across London and advertise vacancies on their behalf at all our centres. We then begin the process of screening candidates. This is done by advisers who select the most suitably skilled candidate from their database and interview him for the role. My role as a trainer is to provide all participants with a series of preemployment training sessions tailored to
Reach Out For More... Hired for the help desk at Serco, Erol Ulusu then forwarded his CV to the senior manager for consideration into the project management team and was soon made a Project Manager
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Erol celebrates job success with his employment trainer Srikant Nair (Picture by Aateqah Bham)
“5E
played a vital role in helping me to identify where I was going wrong and what I could do to improve. Within less than a month of being on the Work Programme, I secured two interviews with Resilient Networks and Serco. I started off at the help desk and within a month I‟m joined Serco‟s project management team.” - Erol Ulusu, Project Manager, Serco
ince December 2009, I had difficulty looking for work and it was down to a combination of things for instance, the current economic climate, a poor quality CV and a lack of interview skills. Before joining the Work Programme, I did do research over the internet on how I could make improvements to my CV to make it stand out from competition but was unsuccessful. After joining 5E Ltd, I with the help of my advisor started making several revisions to it, I now had a CV that was working for me and it was securing me interviews. The problem that I had now was how do I perform well in interviews! Even though there are resources over the internet that provides tips and tricks, it doesn‟t prepare you with the practical expe-
rience of being in an interview. This is where 5E played a vital role and they helped me to identify where I was going wrong and what I could do to improve. If there‟s any advice I can give, it is to remain calm (interviewers are only human), do your research about the company and prepare- don‟t over prepare to the point that speech doesn‟t sound natural. Within less than a month of being on the Work Programme, I secured two interviews with Resilient Networks and Serco. I was offered a Help Desk position at Serco working at their client‟s site at Hertfordshire County Council and I was offered a second interview at Resilient Networks. I decided to go with the position with Serco and on my first day at work, I turned up with my project
management CV which I presented to my line manager. I told him that if there were any positions available within the project management team to please consider me. Within less than a month I had the Portfolio Manager approach me to go through my experience on my CV and wanted to know a bit about me to assess if I would fit into his team. I must have said something right because the following week I was working within that team as a Project Manager. I really enjoy the role that I‟m doing now and it gives me a chance to meet new people, utilize the project management experience from before and build on new experiences too. Thank you Becks, Sandeep, Srikant and 5E for everything.
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5E L I F E & T I MES
ESOL GIVES US SKILLS FOR LIFE
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Pictures by: Ruhi Khan
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hen I came here I was very shy. I didn‟t speak very well. I didn‟t understand very well. This could helped me to gain confidence, understand and speak more. I truly enjoy my class and hope to get a job soon.” - Aneta Krauze
5E
Ltd is a blessing to us because when we came here we didn’t have any friends and now we have lots of friends. We enjoy coming to 5 E to study because the course is interesting and helps us to work and improve our confidence. Learning English has enabled us to ease into the British society and it has enabled us to communicate with people from different countries. The course gave us the opportunity to meet people with different cultures from different nationalities. We also learn a lot about Equality and Diversity. The course is also involved about job hunting, Interview techniques, Writing CVS, Role plays based
neta Krauze lost her permanent job as a cleaner when the Sony Centre in Enfield was burned down during the London riots in August. She then joined the ESOL course. She was very shy and introverted. She could hardly express herself in English or understand spoken English. As she attended regularly, she acquired new skills and new vocabulary. As a result, she underwent a huge progress. She became more confident and during the class she is very proactive. She really inspires others to work hard. She helps her peers during group/pair activities. Mohamed Bitumba Mpia is from Congo where he worked as a secretary in the provincial governor's office. Few years ago he moved to France then to England where he started a new life with his little son and wife. He is a very determined and inspiring person. He always works hard as he wants to achieve his full potential. He attends classes well prepared. In eth class he helps others a lot when they have difficulties. He enjoys working with peers and the staff. Ayten Karciga has always been a housewife. She didn‟t have much opportunity to educate herself. However since she joined ESOL Entry 2 class at 5E, she is a leading example. She always attends classes prepared, completes given tasks and tries to apply new language items. Her literacy and language skills show huge progress. She can use English to communicate with others, ask for information or maintain conversation. - Krisztina Szekeres, ESOL Tutor, 5E Ltd
“I
didn‟t have a chance to get into a college. My teacher is good. Now I can understand, read & write in English. This is important for me as I want to go to university, find a job and support my son. - Mohamed Bitumba -Apia
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efore I didn‟t read or write in English. I spoke a bit, but I didn‟t understand when someone talked to me. Now, I can read and write better and slowly, I can understand what people say.” - Ayten Karcega
on real life situations. Moreover, our English language has definitely improved; therefore we are more confident when we apply for jobs and socialising. We strongly believe that this course has made it easier for us to find jobs, to work as a team and to share our experiences in the UK. We really enjoy Classroom dynamics: Student forge friendships that go beyond class learning at 5E Ltd. We - Literacy Level 1 Class feel safe , respected and valued.
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5E L I FE & T I MES
A MULTICULTURAL FEAST
ESOL learners at Selby Centre (left) and Merit House, Colindale (right) shared an afternoon of indulging in delicacies from cuisines across the world.
5E Painted My Future Bright
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hen I first came to 5E at Selby Centre, I could speak English at all. My teacher Pamela taught me many new vocabulary and helped me. She has always encouraged me to apply for jobs because I needed money badly. We compiled my CV and I started to apply for job after my exams. I am very thankful to my teacher for her support and help. I am extremely happy that I have not only passed my exams but I have also secured employment as a painter and decorator. - Hassen Tarchouna
Flaunting Success: Hassen Tarchouna (Picture by: Gurdain Rayatt)
Breaking the language barrier
“I
know the pain! I know some of the problems you face if you can‟t speak the language” -Marzieh Piruz, Volunteer Iranian and Kurdish Women‟s Rights Organisation
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arzieh Piruz has been in the UK for 15 years. She lived in Scotland but moved to London nine months ago. She has worked in many jobs since she arrived in the UK. Marzieh came to London to create a new life for herself. She took advantage of her unemployed status here and grabbed the opportunity to improve her English skills which will help her achieve her ambition of becoming an interpreter. On arriving in London she enrolled at 5E Colindale and joined the Entry 3 Class. She quickly worked her way up to Level 1 where she gained her Literacy Level 1 qualification. Marzieh is still looking for work but for the meantime she has joined the Iranian and Kurdish Women‟s Rights Organisation (IRWRO) as a volunteer. She hopes that she can help make a difference to other women‟s lives. “I know the pain! I know some of the problems you face if you can‟t speak the language, ” says Marzieh who is grateful to 5E for helping her improve her English. “The future is brighter for Marzieh. She will go on to seek training and qualify as an interpreter.
Meanwhile she will put her new found confidence to good use by using her extensive knowledge of UK life to help women to get over their language barriers and enable them to find their own place”, says Pauline Sevrisalis, her tutor at 5E.
Reflective: Maria Piruz (Picture by: Pauline Sevrisalis)
“The future is brighter for Marzieh. She will go on to seek training and qualify as an interpreter.” - Pauline Sevrisalis, Tutor, 5E
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SINGLE MUM OF SEVEN NEVER MISSES A DAY OF HER ESOL CLASS My message to the other single Mums: Its easy to give up on your studies when you have children and household chores. But remember if you don‟t grow and aim high, what will you teach your children. You are your children‟s biggest inspiration.
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years and to school in Sweden too. I now live in England with my children. I am studying ESOL Entry 2 at 5E. I have a very good teacher Malgorzata. I can never forget my teacher. She is very nice and helpful. “She has been very respectful to others and despite the stress of her daily life she has always tried to stay positive and full of optimism,” says Malgorzata Chaabau. I am proud of what I learnt at 5E. I want to progress more and get a job soon. Today I can speak better and read and write some. Let me tell you about my favourite topic in the world my seven children. M y oldest child Abdirashid is 19 years old. He is in college and is studying Access for Higher education in ICT. He enjoys playing football and coaching football. My second child is Hani and she is 18 years old. Hani likes spending time with friends and family. She is 5e Tutor Malgorzata guides Sahra as she fondly write about her children
y name is Sahra Sheikh Mohamed Aden. I come from Somalia. I was born in 1964. I came to UK from Sweden in 2000. I lived in Sweden for 8 years. When I came to Sweden I was 7 months pregnant. My three children were born in Sweden and the other four in Somalia. I went to school in Somalia for 11
studying science in Southgate college. Fardowa is my third child and she likes art and is very good at. She is studying science in Southgate college. She wants to be a scientist. She wants to be a scientist. My fourth child is Fartun. She is 14 years old and she is in Year 10 at school. She is going to lovely school. She likes reading and writing stories and Maths. She enjoys cooking food. My fifth child is Sayid-Ibrahim. He is 11 years old and is in year 7. He likes reading books and playing football. His favourite subject is Science and he wants to be a doctor. He likes cricket. My sixth child is Yusuf. He is 10 years old. He is in year 5. He is going to school and his favourite subject is Maths. He likes playing football and games. He wants to be a fire fighter. Ahmednur is my seventh child and my youngest. He is 7 years old and he is in Year 3. He is going to school and likes ICT. He wants to be a tennis player. He likes sports.
STEP ONE: 5E GETS ME WORK PLACEMENT AT SUE RYDER STEP TWO: NOW I GET A PERMANENT JOB AT MARKS & SPENCER
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came to 5E to study English. I enrolled on ESOL Entry 3 course and progressed to achieve Literacy Level 1 qualification. Meanwhile, 5E put me on a work placement at Sue Ryder as I had never worked before to help me get a feel of the work environment. I must admit I am so thankful for it as it gave me a good experience. From the placement I learnt a lot of things. I gained confidence. So when my friend who works at Marks & Spencer warehouse told me about a job vacancy, I contacted them and forwarded my CV. They asked me to come for an interview for which I travelled outside London. I was successful at it and they offered me a job at their Enfield warehouse. I am happy now to work full time. This is my first permanent job and I credit this to my work placement without which it would have been almost impossible for me to have the confidence to apply for this job and succeed at it. Thank you 5E– tutors and advisers for all your help. - Shams Mohamed
Triumphant: Shams has a double celebration as she passes her Literacy Level 1 exam and secures employment at Marks & Spencer (Pictures by: Ruhi Khan)
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Are you suffering from Winter Blues?
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Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD is a form of depression which develops in the autumn and improves in the spring. It is thought to be caused by lack of light in winter.
any people, whether or not they have SAD, find they dislike the dark mornings and early evenings of autumn and winter, preferring the longer outside light of the other seasons. However, seven per cent of people in Scotland will develop full blown SAD and a further 15 per cent of us will have the winter blues – a milder version. People affected by SAD may experience the following: - Feeling low, depressed, feelings of despair, misery, guilt and anxiety. - Sleep problems – oversleeping but not waking up feeling refreshed, not being able to get out of bed, needing a nap in the afternoon, always feeling tired. - Overeating and food cravings – while it is common for people with other types of depression to not want to eat, people with SAD often crave sweet and starchy foods and may gain weight over the winter months. - Social problems – avoiding company, feeling irritable, a loss of libido. - Lethargy – feeling too tired to cope, everything seeming a huge effort, can‟t be bothered to do anything.
other things. It is normally recommended that you start light treatment in early autumn, September or October and continue it until the days become lighter in March or April. There are no absolute contra-indications for using a light box. This means that Physical Symptoms include joint pain or stomthere are no medical conditions or treatach problems, or a lowered resistance to infecments that mean you absolutely shouldn‟t tion. use a light box. However, because light boxes are very bright there are some risk factors. These include: R E AT I N G eye disease; diabetes – which can cause problems in the eyes; certain medication can make you more photo-sensitive. Light therapy Check with your doctor before starting As SAD is caused by lack of light, recent light therapy to make sure that you are not research indicates that concentrating on at risk. increasing light exposure by artificial means is able to reduce the effects of SAD. This involves exposure to very bright Getting out in the sun light which must be at least 2500 lux. Increasing exposure to sunlight is one way Lights used in offices and the home are you can help to reduce symptoms. If you around 200–500 lux so a special light box can afford a winter holiday in the sun, is needed. For many people sitting in front where you will obtain good sunlight but of a light box, allowing the light to reach not excessive heat, this can be really helpthe eyes, will alleviate most symptoms. ful. Going skiing or to a snowy area can When using a light box you do not have to also help. If you can‟t afford to go abroad, stare at the light, but get on with normal it may help to get outside as often as postasks like watching TV, reading, knitting, sible, particularly at noon, which is the sewing, using the computer. The length of brightest part of the day. time you will need to sit in front of the light box depends on the brightness of the light you obtain. Treatment time usually varies Exercise from between 20 minutes and around one If you are also able to take part in regular physical exercise, such as swimming or or two hours but manufacturers will normally advise you as to the optimal use of walking, you may also find your symptoms the equipment. If you are really busy and of SAD getting better. don‟t have time to sit in front of a box, some companies sell light visors which Antidepressants can be worn on the head while you do Because SAD is thought to be caused by
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SAD
disturbances in the brain chemical serotonin, newer antidepressants such as Prozac and Lustral, which act on serotonin, may help those affected by SAD. These can be used with light therapy.
Other treatment Other forms of treatment for depression like psycho-therapy, Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, nutrition and alternative remedies may be useful for people with SAD.
Summer depression Some people find that they have summer depression or „Reverse Seasonal Affective Disorder‟. They feel fine in the winter but experience symptoms in the summer. According to one article, the condition affects an estimated 600,000 people in the UK. Summer depression is more likely to occur in hotter areas so it may not affect many people in Scotland. Symptoms include insomnia, decreased appetite, weight loss, and agitation or anxiety. As in all depression, those affected by summer depression may feel miserable and low for no reason. There has been little research into summer depression and there is clearly a need for more investigation into this topic. Also, in particularly overcast Scottish summers where there is not much sun, those affected by winter SAD may experience symptoms. Using a light box in the summer may help.
Visit www.dascot.org for more information.
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TRANSFERABLE SKILLS TO THE RESCUE
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inspire, give instruction to, be accountable n an uncertain job market, skills are your for, or otherwise take a leadership role with best security. Transferable skills are generic others. If leadership is an important part of and necessary for almost any kind of work. your skill set, make sure your personal brand emphasizes this.
THE FRONT NINE
Managing change: Change is a constant part of our daily lives. Everyone needs to spot trends and respond to new information. In a more proactive way, it is best to anticipate change and seize opportunities. Perhaps you are a change agent, one of the innovators who create change, or maybe you are skilled at moving through change or facilitating the implementation of changes. Is change your area of expertise?
Learning: Learning is a life-long venture. Perhaps you are skilled at finding information, conducting research, integrating ideas, or collecting data. Those skilled at learning will keep up-to-date on current trends and technology. They won‟t get left behind. Do you see learning or processing information as a key part of your brand?
Working with numbers and data: At some point we all need to either collect, analyze, calculate, or work with numbers and data. For some people this is a necessary evil, but for others the devil is not in the details. If you are a numbers or data whiz, consider Communicating: No man (or woman) is an if this is imisland and to succeed you must hear what portant to your others have to say and express your own personal brand. thoughts and feelings clearly and diplomatically. If communication is key to your per- Problem solving: Appreciative minded peosonal brand you may offer a multitude of ple would rather call this capitalizing on services including writing, speaking, train- opportunities, but either way you look at it ing, negotiat- there are always problems to solve or situaing, persuad- tions that can be improved. If you are good ing, coaching, at problem solving consider making this skill or counsel- part of your brand. Opportunities abound for ing. people who can solve problems and make improvements. Leading: Eventually Achieving results: Everyone must achieve you will need results to succeed at work. Some people are to direct, especially adept at expediting processes to
accomplish goals. If you work with high efficiency and effectiveness, this may be an important skill to emphasize in your brand. Working on a team: You need to work with others. Some people prefer to be independent and find the team aspects of work difficult or unrewarding. Others have a knack for harnessing human resources to build consensus, cooperation, and collaboration to produce results. They are often astute at finding ways to build relationships with just about anybody. If taking a team approach is your strong point, think of how you express this in your personal brand. Thinking: You need to know when to use your various thinking skills at work. The best approach to a situation might require practical, creative, global, logical, or humanistic thinking. Some people find it stimulating to think through and consider situations from various perspectives and mindsets. Usually our thinking is honed to enhance another skill. For example, you may use a humanistic approach to improve communication or teamwork or a logical approach to solve a problem. Assessing and developing your transferable skills will help ensure your success. Source: Donna Dunning, PhD, is a psychologist, certified teacher, member of the MBTI ® International Training Faculty, and director of Dunning Consulting Inc. Contributed by Mrugesh Desai, Manager, Ilford Centre, 5E Ltd
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