Step Forward - 3 Year Anniversary
This Week the Step Forward Programme celebrates 3 years of working with care experienced young people across Devon to improve their training, education and employment opportunities. Step Forward is Devon County Council’s employability programme for care leavers, offering flexible, bespoke support to help young people maximise their chances of achieving their future goals.
Over the years Step Forward have worked with over 80 young people from across Devon in a wide range of ways to help them move towards a brighter future. This has included: offering one to one and group sessions to prepare for the World of Work, CV and job search sessions, support to prepare for interviews, careers advice, access to education options, work experience and taster days, access to apprenticeship options and much more.
Step Forward has always been a programme focused on making a difference for each individual, don’t just take our word for it, here is what one of the young people that has been on the programme said since getting involved with Step Forward:
Step Forward has always been a programme focused on making a difference for each individual, don’t just take our word for it, here is what one of the young people that has been on the programme said since getting involved with Step Forward:
“I feel more confident in myself and feel like I can take on anything. If you guys hadn’t have got involved, I wouldn’t have got as far as I have now. All the talks and sessions we have had over the last year have been amazing coz I feel I have someone on my side to help open doors to employers and potential people to be the best I can be. I really thank you” This current Step Forward participant previously had been out of formal education and employment for 7 years and having completed a traineeship is now starting a further course at Exeter College to access employment options in the care sector."Want to see more of the impact?
Watch our video to see how the programme can make real life differences for those involved:
Step Forward Video
Want to be part of the story?
We are continually looking to support, nurture and develop opportunities inside and out of
Devon County Council to offer to young people. You could be part of giving a care
experienced young person the experience they need to begin the journey towards their
future ambitions.
Could your department offer a work experience placement, a taster day, employment pathway conversations, or an apprenticeship to a young person who is eager to learn? They may need support, guidance and motivating along the way (don’t we all) but the results can be hugely beneficial not just to the young person but the team around them as well. Here is what one manager has said:
“I felt it was important to give this apprenticeship opportunity to a care leaver to welcome them, to offer hope for a better future, to help in building their independence and self-belief. Investing perhaps a little more time in their induction and learning gives the opportunity to listen more and understand the skills they can bring to the team. Ongoing conversations help to discern their areas of interest.
Having our apprentice has helped to give the rest of the team a little buffer in these busy covid times, she brings a new dynamic to the team helping us to remember that working from home may be the only experience of ‘office work’ some people have. She is keen to help and it’s a blessing seeing her confidence grow as she develops into the role.”
Lynn Wakefield – Current Line Manager of a Care Experienced Apprentice
Could your department offer a work experience placement, a taster day, employment pathway conversations, or an apprenticeship to a young person who is eager to learn? They may need support, guidance and motivating along the way (don’t we all) but the results can be hugely beneficial not just to the young person but the team around them as well. Here is what one manager has said:
“I felt it was important to give this apprenticeship opportunity to a care leaver to welcome them, to offer hope for a better future, to help in building their independence and self-belief. Investing perhaps a little more time in their induction and learning gives the opportunity to listen more and understand the skills they can bring to the team. Ongoing conversations help to discern their areas of interest.
Having our apprentice has helped to give the rest of the team a little buffer in these busy covid times, she brings a new dynamic to the team helping us to remember that working from home may be the only experience of ‘office work’ some people have. She is keen to help and it’s a blessing seeing her confidence grow as she develops into the role.”
Lynn Wakefield – Current Line Manager of a Care Experienced Apprentice
As a programme, Step Forward sits within Human Resources. We recently were able to hear
from our Head of HR, with her thoughts on the programme and its outcomes:
As we move into the next year of supporting our Devon young people, we are expanding our programme into Devon schools, to promote the work to those nearing the end of secondary education. We will continue to use what we have learned in the last 3 years to improve the support on offer and look for new opportunities to match with the young people we are working with. Follow us on social media (@DCCApprentices) for regular updates and join us on the journey of helping every young person we connect with to take a positive Step Forward.
If you would like further information about Step Forward or would like to offer an
opportunity as part of the programme, please contact the Step Forward Team on the details
below:
Email: stepforward@devon.gov.uk
Phone: 01392 385290 / 07970 680770
Website: Step Forward
Email: stepforward@devon.gov.uk
Phone: 01392 385290 / 07970 680770
Website: Step Forward
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