Directions is 10! What a decade it's been for our employment service

We are celebrating the 10^th anniversary of our employment service - which has helped nearly 2000 of our customers into work since it began in 2016!

Our dedicated Directions team is responsible for helping people with CVs, interview techniques, covering letters, job applications and general support all while helping them find the confidence to secure a job that suits their lifestyle. Many of our customers who access the service are already in work with low hours or low pay, or it could be that they haven't worked for many years and believe it's not possible for their circumstances to change. That's where our team comes in!

In total, 3491 customers have been supported with job applications and 1916 have found work. On average this has led to an income improvement per employed customer of £684 per month. The social value impact of our customers starting work is £30 million or £3m per year over the ten years, which we have calculated using the industry standard Housing Associations’ Charitable Trust (HACT) framework.

One of the customers we have supported is Nicholas Benson who over six years has been helped to find a variety of roles until he secured a position as a medical laboratory assistant at Tameside Hospital. The 24-year-old graduated from Sheffield Hallam University with a degree in biomedical science, however, he struggled to find a job linked to his qualification.

Our Employment Support Advisor, Suzie Redpath, who previously helped Nicholas find work before he was a student, helped him to secure the permanent full-time NHS job. “I would have been stuck at square one and making the same mistakes applying for jobs by myself without Suzie,” said Nicholas. “She really helped support me even after the interviews. She's always been there throughout these last six years and I am very grateful.”

Suzie said: “FCHO often says it is more than just a landlord and ten years of our Directions Service and the nearly 2000 people we have helped into employment really speaks to that.

“To have helped Nicholas find his dream job is what our work is all about. But on a wider scale it is so much more than finding jobs, it means more money into households and communities and the social value is huge in areas such as improved mental health and parents working and being an example to their children.

"It also promotes wellbeing, confidence and gives purpose. These should not be underestimated either,” she added.

Our Directions service is both Matrix Quality standard accredited and affiliated to the Institute of Employability Professionals. 

Another customer grateful for our support is 64-year-old Monique Cormode from Austerlands. She has received support from Directions since 2019 after being made redundant. Suzie most recently helped Monique secure a role as a Customer Advisor at our Tameside counterpart Jigsaw Housing Association. 

Monique said: "Suzie's support has changed my life. She truly knows and understands me and has gotten to know the type of work that I like doing and what I would be good at. 

"She's given me the confidence to go out to interviews and talk to people and her support, not just in finding work but in general, has been wonderful."