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ISLE SUCCEED Handy advice to help young people take their first steps on the career ladder

BY ZOE DRIVERS

“I want to use my experience through working, volunteering and education to make a positive impact on other young people’s lives.”

My name is Zoe. I am 18 years old and Head Girl at Cowes Enterprise College.

Through putting every ounce of effort, confidence and passion into all aspects of my life, I have gained 5 university offers and a working position in a summer camp in New Jersey, America this year.

I have written this handbook with the support of the Fixers because I want to use my experience through working, volunteering and education to make a positive impact on other young people’s lives.

Nothing is more valuable than confidence in selling yourself to an employer and that is what I would love to help with!

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WHY IS VOLUNTEERING IMPORTANT?

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DO’S AND DON’T’S FOR VOLUNTEERING

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PLACES TO VOLUNTEER ON ‘THE ISLAND’

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HOW SHOULD A CV LOOK?

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INFO FOR PARENTS

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LEGAL STATS*

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STATS/SURVEY

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Volunteering, although it doesn’t earn you any money, is hugely important as it provides you with working experience to impress future employers. It is very difficult to find work if you are under 16 so volunteering puts you in a good place to start earning once you hit that age.

Volunteering can also boost your people skills and confidence, which are both hugely valuable attributes in the world of employment. You might be thinking ‘what’s the point in working for no money?’ or ‘what if it’s really boring?’ but you could have a lot of fun in the right job. Love music? Volunteer to help out at a local music festival. Love art? Volunteer at a gallery. Love sport? The possibilities are

endless if you think outside the box! So it’s a win-win situation - you can gain great skills at the price of nothing, whilst an employer can train you to be a hard worker and get some extra help for the price of nothing. Can’t go wrong!

So you want to go to uni? The majority of universities highly respect volunteering experience and it really impresses them.

Volunteering experience shows willingness to get to know the real working world and that looks great on your UCAS application.

SO WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? GET OUT THERE AND GET SOME EXPERIENCE WHILST YOU CAN!

DON’T: 1. DEPEND ON THE INTERNET - some jobs prefer you to apply online for work, which is fine, but if you are applying to work for local businesses, they mostly prefer to see your face and get to know you in person.

DO: 1. PUT YOURSELF OUT THERE AND APPLY IN PERSON! You will gain a lot of respect for having the courage to do so.

2. SHY AWAY! If they aren’t advertising for employees then so what?! You are offering them FREE work, and like I said, they can only say yes or no.

2. APPLY TO AS MANY PLACES AS POSSIBLE. They can only say yes or no.

3. HANG ABOUT! It’s not long before school will end and throw you into the big wide world, so grab the opportunity to get some experience whilst you can.

3. VOLUNTEER BEFORE FULL EMPLOYMENT. It is great experience that looks brilliant both to employers and universities.

4. SETTLE FOR ‘SECOND BEST’ – you can apply to volunteer in any field, even cool events like the Isle of Wight Festival. Don’t feel volunteering has to be a hardship, it can be whatever you want it to be.

4. BE YOURSELF. If you want a job enough, then your enthusiasm should shine through and employers will love you.

5. THINK OF VOLUNTEERING AS A WIN-WIN SITUATION. You might not be paid, but you and the employer are doing each other a favour.

5. FORGET THE DIFFERENCE IT WILL MAKE TO YOU. Volunteering provides you with so many skills and you will gain a level of respect from potential employers.

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There are loads of places where you can volunteer or get work experience.

JUST POP IN AND ASK! Here are a few places that have had previous success with volunteers or work experience employees. And there are tones more!*

YARMOUTH

ALUM BAY The Needles

FRESHWATER BAY

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ISLE O WIGH

OF HT

COWES Fishbourne RYDE

SEAVIEW

Whitefield Bembridge Forest ST HELENS

NEWPORT Newchurch

ISLE OF WHITE ZOO SHANKLIN

*The places mentioned are where acquaintances of mine have previously been volunteers or been given work experience.

It’s up to YOU to find somewhere you feel will be successful!

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With volunteering experience on a CV, a potential employer would be very impressed and interested to find out what skills you have learnt that you can apply to a job. But in order to make a CV in the first place, you’ve got to know what one looks like! Here is a model for you!

So a CV (or Curriculum Vitae) is fairly simple, but some employers may wish to have a cover letter too. This is just a letter supporting your CV to show an employer why you want the job and what you can bring to it. *The example given above is from my personal CV.

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The majority of you were in a position to get employed from a young age, doing things like paper rounds or part-time work in a local shop. But as times have changed and technology has advanced, it’s much more difficult for young people to not only get employment, but to have the confidence to approach employers in person rather than taking the easier option - to hide behind a computer screen by applying online. Added to which, employers are much stricter now about health and safety and the rules they must comply with when taking on new employees.

a local charity shop or residential home, as this will look amazing on a CV especially for first-time employment. Volunteering is also really respected by universities, which is an added bonus.

Despite being stricter, organisations now offering employment and volunteering positions for young people are generally much more considerate of school commitments, workload and the welfare of employees. As a result, pushing your children towards their first steps on the career ladder and helping them stand on their own two feet will be a great benefit for them.

The best thing for your sons or daughters to do, would be to make themselves known. Help them draw up a CV and push it out to local businesses. Encouraging your child to meet employers face to face is a great help for them in the future.

Not only will this give them more confidence which could help in future employment, but they would gain a lot of respect through approaching businesses in person.

If your child is under 16, it may be worth encouraging them to take on a volunteering role.

If your child is under 16, it may be worth encouraging them to take on a volunteering role, for example at

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• Under the ‘Protection of Young Persons (Employment) Act’ of 1966, young people aged 14-16 may do light work out of school time.

• Employers cannot employ children under-16 in FULL TIME work.

• Under 16s must have at least 21 days holiday in the summer whilst working.

• After 4 hours work, a 30 minute break is within the rights of the worker.

• Under 16s should be given at least 14 consecutive hours off work after a shift.

In the holidays, they should have 2 days minimum off work.

• Under 16s should have written permission from a parent or guardian.

IN A SURVEY OF 20 UNDER 18S AT COWES ENTERPRISE COLLEGE…

• Any records of under 18 employment should be kept by the employer.

• 65% believed young people on the island ought to have more opportunities for work experience.

• The act does NOT apply to those employed by a close relative. In this case any decisions made regarding the employee are at the employer’s discretion.

• 55% believed the lack of opportunities was a huge disadvantage to young islanders.

• The maximum working week for young people aged 16 and 17 is 40 hours with a maximum of 8 hours a day.

• 85% of young people believed they were responsible enough to be considered for employment.

• Minimum wage for age 16-17 is £3.72

• 90% believed that jobs with the support of school and the community would benefit them in the future.

* https://www.gov.uk/child-employment

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.org.uk

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Fixers is a campaign that helps young people ‘use their past to fix the future’ and is part-funded by the National Lottery through the Big Lottery Fund.’ These are the experience of a young person, and should not be relied on or substitute for formal career advice.