May– June 2012
5E LIFE & TIMES 5E LTD NEWSLETTER
Konstantinos Vasileiou
Su-Hua Chen
Artistic Brilliance 5E Clients Su-Hua Chen, Konstaninos Vasileiou and Mark Sarrou showcase their artistic talents. 5E’s staff joins in the talent parade. Pages: 6-10
Inside This Issue: 5E’s Managing Director Raj Doshi speaks about new projects providing a progression to young and those not in education and training and how 5E helps clients find sustained employment.
Rachel Mead was homeless and jobless until she came to 5E on Work Programme. Now she has a job and a place to live.
Elena Lorna joined 5E’s six week job search programme and got a sales agent job with Low Cost Travel Group.
Pg: 2
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Abwasamba Neri enjoyed the diversity of an ESOL class at 5E and walked away with an ESOL Entry 3 certificate. Pg: 10
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JOB FEST FOR N18 & BEYOND
5E lends a helping hand to the young
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Raj Doshi, Managing Director, 5E Ltd
ast quarter teams have worked exceptionally hard and doubled performance in both work programme contracts. It is our pleasure to help people in areas we have offices in and be awarded by appreciation and seeing clients experience a positive change in their lives. Nevertheless times are hard as funding is squeezed from the deserved. But we do our best to provide clients with guidance and whatever assistance possible to find sustained employment. We are also embarking on new projects targeting and providing a progression to young and those not in education and training.
leading welfare to work provider believes Tottenham and Ley Valley are on the verge of construction explosion. In an exclusive interview with 5E Life and Times at Watkins House in Edmonton he outlined his view that along with the Olympics this is a significant step in fighting back the recessionary gloom in building sector. Salim Ahmed, Operations Manager for 5E said, 'The whole proSalim, Ahmed, ject along White Hart Lane and in Operations Manager, 5E Ltd Lea Valley will create up to one thousand new jobs'. He also felt it would lead to ancillary businesses like food vendors, building suppliers and other shops starting up to service those coming to the area to work. 'These are exciting times for those with vision to spot an opportunity and start up new businesses' he added, 'with all the talk of doom and gloom this marks a turning point in the local economy with thousands likely to benefit from this development. Ahmed also feels that many long- term unemployed could benefit from these projects as they propel the areas into becoming the construction hub of North London. Contributed by: Oni Bhattacharya
Determination yields results
“B
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eing given this opportunity has tremendously improved my life in all aspect. I would like to end this note by saying determination definitely births out result.�
Olodi Mpia, Admin assistant, 5E Ltd
I
was very optimistic about coming to 5E Ltd because I knew that the work programme was intended to help people like me get back into work. By attending I was fortunate enough to receive the help that I needed by being allocated
an excellent advisor like Kavitha who supported and directed my job path into a successful one. After five months of attending 5E Ltd I landed a job with the company in the administration department on the Ingeus programme at the Edmonton Branch. This job has helped me regain my independent and I would like to thank 5E Ltd for making my journey back into work a welcoming one. Being given this opportunity has tremendously improved my life in all aspect. I would like to end this note by saying determination definitely births out result.
- Olodi Mpia
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“5E
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is very helpful because they tried to get me a job. Now I have a job with BHS and I love my job.”
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Bernadette Winder, Sales Assistant, BHS
I love working at BHS
ernadette Winder started work on May 31, 2012 as a sales assistant with BHS (Wood Green) through the support and help received from 5E Ltd. Bernedette was given one-to-one support on CV building, online application form filling and also offered a Retail Works QCF Level 2 course which she completed to gain more retail knowledge and qualification. “I have learnt so much about retail. I also did interview techniques which was fun. I have leant a lot at 5E. They helped me to get a job at BHS . I’m very happy because they helped me a lot with every thing. I am very pleased with my adviser Kelly Ng. She is a very nice woman and without her I would not have had this job,” said Bernadette. Kelly believes that Bernadette was very motivated to find employment. “She is a quick learner and I’m very happy she found a job,” says Kelly. “5E is a very helpful place because they tried to get me a job. Now I have a job with BHS and I love my job,” said Bernadette.
5E HELPED ME SET UP
I
MY BUSINESS
came to 5E on the Work Programme and my adviser was Shelina. Working with Shelina has helped to motivate me to capitalise on my artistic skills to start my own business. I have found Shelina to be polite, helpful and a motivating person. She has helped me to set goals and targets while always ensuring professional one to one business help. Shelina has incorporated her ideas to help further business sales using the internet to help showcase my business with a website. Shelina also gave me opinion on my company logo and business card design agreeing with my decision giving me confidence with my choice. My decision to research various websites was also supported. She also helped me to register my business and is a constant support for whatever help I may need, I am grateful for all of her help.
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Debbi Careferel, Self Employed
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Homeless and Jobless? No More!
“W
hen I first came to 5E I was jobless and homeless. While I was here Shelina helped me in every way she could and more. Through Shelina and her help, I have found a job and my housing is going well.”
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Rachel Mead, Sales Assistant, Card Factory Rachel Mead beaming with joy in her Card Factory Uniform
R
achel Mead started at 5E with Shelina on April 18. “When I first came here I was jobless and homeless. While I was here Shelina helped me in every way she could and more. Through Shelina and her help, I have found a job and my housing is going well,” says Rachel. She credits her good fortune to Shelina who she says “was a great help and I am happy with her support”. “Rachel was a shy and nervous girl when she first came to me. She was worried about her situation as she was homeless and I just tried to help her look for jobs and sort her housing issues,” says Shelina. Rachel started work at the Card Factory as a sales assistant. She enjoys her work and is happy that she is now employed. “Since working at Card Factory, I have enjoyed the work and I am progressing in the company. I like my work colleagues and get along with them well,” she says. “I am so glad Rachel loves her work. She is a hardworking girl and since working at Card Factory, I have seen her confidence grow. I am truly happy for her and wish her luck in future,” says Shelina. “Thank you Shelina for your help and thanks 5E,” says a happy Rachel.
Networking at 5E helped me get SELF EMPLOYED
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got on very well with my adviser Shelina, she was very polite, down to earth and easy to talk to. She put me on the right seminars and connected me with the right people. Shelina was very helpful and she always tried to find information which will help me. I would like to thank Shelina and 5E for all the help. Thank you.”
Justin Odulana, Self Employed
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From home maker to home worker
“S
ince enrolling on the six week job search programme I have been able to job search extensively and secure employment as a consultant which is extremely exciting.”
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Elena Louca, Sales Agent, Low Cost Travel Group
E
lena Louca came to 5E on the six week job search support programme. Within a few days she secured a job as a homeworking sales agent with the Low Cost Travel Group. “Since the six week job search programme I have been able to job search extensively and secure employment as a consultant which is extremely exciting,” Elena said. “Elena has been a delightful job seeker who has been constant in her speculative approach in job search which enabled Elena to secure employment as a travel consultant on the 5th week of just starting her journey with us at 5E,” said Soniya. Elena was given a one on one help with job search and CV writing and was given the use of internet and telephone which helped her apply for and follow up with several jobs. “I am extremely pleased for Elena, a keen be resourceful individual with great willingness towards work,” added Soniya.
“I
Sporting a new job
wasn’t really happy to come onto the work programme to begin with, but then I realised that it was going to help me out to secure a job and to secure interviews. I went on a few workshops like the interview techniques. I went for my first screening for JD Sports and got the job. The staff at 5E are really great and have helped me a lot. My advisor Krystal helped me the most and was really honest with me. The other staff at 5E are really great too, and have helped me out even though I wasn’t their client.”
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Abdul Uddin, Sales Assistant, J D sports
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BEYOND THE LENS S
u–Hua Chen came to 5E on the 6 week job search programme. She has a degree in Fine Arts and interests in photography, films and travelling. She worked in Swansea, Wales as an interior photographer and earlier as a website administrator for a design company and camera assistant in film making. Su-Hua used to work for Yahoo auctions in Taiwan as online product reviewer. Now Su-Hua is looking to use her photography talents to gain employment as a photographer. Her photographs explore facets of the object beyond the lens. “She is an optimistic person who is passionate about art and design,” says Soniya Akthar, adviser.
“I
have a strong determination in exploring visual art by continuously practising the craft and broadening the knowledge of photography.”
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Su-Hua Chen Photographer
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Colours of the Mind T
his artworks is a part of Konstantinos Vasileiou's research on the human body in relation with the urban environment during his MA Moving Image: Film, Video and Interactive Arts at Middlesex University. Through personal experience he concludes that while the human body can be enclosed and restricted, the mind does not follow the same norms. The human body loses its physical form within a restrictive environment, creating an artificial one which is empowered by the freedom of the mind. Using our mind to its limits we can develop a universe over and above what's known.
View Konstantinos artwork on http://www.behance.net/kva
''F
ar from the urban surroundings and trapped in a room, I spend my time dreaming. As my spirit exists in a different world I lose my personal attachment with reality. Many people consider it as an illness, I on the contrary, believe it is an exciting new experience.''
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Konstantinos Vasileiou, Artist
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T
his is a piece of work Mark Sarrou completed during his Bachelors in Animation course at University of Westminster. It was a task to produce a piece of animation to a choice of pre-made sound clips. In this piece the sounds were comprised of bells and horns followed by various jazz melodies and random sounds. He therefore came up with the idea to combine this industrial and jazzy tone to an organic visual, hence the idea of grass and flowers to portray this i.e. the lilies acting as horns.
© Mark Sarrou
© Mark Sarrou
© Mark Sarrou
© Mark Sarrou
© Mark Sarrou
© Mark Sarrou
“A
View animation on http://vimeo.com/39158377
nimation has always been my passion because I love to create stories and admire other artists and animators that produce such varied and unique works. My only dream is to become a part of that world, to assist in creating these wonderful worlds and stories for all to see that we can only imagine of in our dreams.”
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Mark Sarrou, Animator
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A Village Story - Photographic Essay by Tito Mir
Picture 1. During my travels in India, I came across this river bank near the famous Farakka barrage on the Ganges river bordering Bangladesh and India was the epitome of the 1965 war between the two countries. Now it’s a quiet fishing village. Picture 2. Going deeper into East Bengal, I stumbled across a small non descript village Sagar Deghi. What caught my attention was the glimmer of excitement in the eyes of these poor young boys and their little sister. They enthusiastically showed me their village and let me capture this picture. Picture 3. Posing with my camera in this ship graveyard, once the biggest and widest river passage that has now narrowed down to only let small boats pass by. The bigger ones here are left to rot.
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Dancing Queen A computer graphic art by:
Kavitha Ramakrishnan
ESOL Classes Show True Diversity
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ach of us could share experiences and talk about our culture. I could see true diversity.”
Abwasamba Neri, ESOL Entry 3
I
came to ESOL to learn English because before I couldn’t speak English. I’m French and I was living in Paris. First I came to London because I like England. I find the English culture very interesting but sometimes there is also divergence. I don't know what people think when they come to 5E. I found that we had the same objective which was to learn English. There were people from all backgrounds– French, Turkish, Spanish, Congolese, Moroccan, Indian. I could see real diversity which is rare nowadays. Each of us could share experiences and talk about our culture. I could see true diversity. Now I hope all the things I learned here will help me in the future. I am really happy that I got my ESOL Entry 3 certificate. So I want to thank my teacher Shraddha Vaidya and the entire team of 5E.
- Abwasamba Neri
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TIPS FOR TIME MANAGEMENT Create a daily plan. Plan your day before it unfolds. Do it in the morning or even better, the night before you sleep. The plan gives you a good overview of how the day will pan out. That way, you don’t get caught off guard. Your job for the day is to stick to the plan as best as possible. Peg a time limit to each task. Be clear that you need to finish X task by 10am, Y task by 3pm, and Z item by 5:30pm. This prevents your work from dragging on and eating into time reserved for other activities.
Block out distractions. What’s distracting you in your work? Instant messages? Phone ringing? Text messages popping in? I hardly ever use chat nowadays. The only times when I log on is when I’m not intending to do any work. Otherwise it gets very distracting. When I’m doing important work, I also switch off my phone. Calls during this time are recorded and I contact them afterward if it’s something important. This helps me concentrate better.
Track your time spent. Egg Timer is a simple online countdown timer. You key in the amount of time you want it to Use a calendar. Having a calendar is the most fundamental track (example: “30 minutes”, “1 hour”) and it’ll count down step to managing your daily activities. If you use outlook or in the background. When the time is up, the timer will beep. lotus notes, calendar come as part of your mailing software. Great way to be aware of your time spent. Google Calendar is great – I use it. It’s even better if you can sync it to your mobile phone and other devices you use – Don’t fuss about unimportant details You’re never get everythat way, you can access your schedule no matter where thing done in exactly the way you want. Trying to do so is you are. being ineffective. Use an organizer. The organizer helps you to be on top of everything in your life. It’s your central tool to organize infor- Prioritize. Since you can’t do everything, learn to prioritize mation, to-do lists, projects, and other miscellaneous items. the important and let go of the rest. Apply the 80/20 principle which is a key principle in prioritization. Know your deadlines. When do you need to finish your tasks? Mark the deadlines out clearly in your calendar and organizer so you know when you need to finish them. Learn to say “No”. Don’t take on more than you can handle. For the distractions that come in when you’re doing other things, give a firm no. Or defer it to a later period. Target to be early. When you target to be on time, you’ll either be on time or late. Most of the times you’ll be late. However, if you target to be early, you’ll most likely be on time. For appointments, strive to be early. For your deadlines, submit them earlier than required. Time box your activities. This means restricting your work to X amount of time. Have a clock visibly placed before you. Sometimes we are so engrossed in our work that we lose track of time. Having a huge clock in front of you will keep you aware of the time at the moment.
Delegate. If there are things that can be better done by others or things that are not so important, consider delegating. This takes a load off and you can focus on the important tasks. Batch similar tasks together. For related work, batch them together. For example, my work can be categorized into these core groups: (1) writing (articles, my upcoming book) (2) coaching (3) workshop development (4) business development (5) administrative. I batch all the related tasks together so there’s synergy. If I need to make calls, I allocate a time slot to make all my calls. It really streamlines the process. Eliminate your time wasters. What takes your time away your work? Facebook? Twitter? Email checking? Stop checking them so often. One thing you can do is make it hard to check them – remove them from your browser quick links / bookmarks and stuff them in a hard to access bookmarks folder. Replace your browser bookmarks with important work-related sites. While you’ll still check FB/Twitter no doubt, you’ll find it’s a lower frequency than before.
Cut off when you need to. #1 reason why things overrun is Set reminders 15 minutes before. Most calendars have a because you don’t cut off when you have to. Don’t be afraid reminder function. If you’ve an important meeting to attend, to intercept in meetings or draw a line to cut-off. Otherwise, set that alarm 15 minutes before. there’s never going to be an end and you’ll just eat into the time for later. Focus. Are you multi-tasking so much that you’re just not getting anything done? If so, focus on just one key task at Leave buffer time in-between. Don’t pack everything closely one time. Close off all the applications you aren’t using. together. Leave a 5-10 minute buffer time in between each Close off the tabs in your browser that are taking away your tasks. This helps you wrap up the previous task and start off attention. Focus solely on what you’re doing. You’ll be more on the next one. efficient that way. Source: www.lifehack.org
5E L I FE & T I MES
Vic Grimes, NAS Divisional Apprenticeship Director London and the South East awards 5E Ltd with the title of Apprenticeship Ambassador. 5E’s Jilesh Kacha receives the award.
5E L I FE & T I MES
“It has been said that 80% of what people learn is visual ” - Allen Klein
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Editor: Ruhi Khan Publisher: Raj Doshi, MD, 5E Ltd, UK For Feedback & Contributions: Email ruhi@fivee.co.uk
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