Volunteering leads to job success for David

Through local partnership with Tameside Hospital, Routes to Work client David Reynolds has gone from volunteer to permanent employee.

Volunteering is a fantastic way to gain experience while also providing a vital contribution for local organisations.

The Pathways to Employment scheme is a valuable addition to the support of clients that come through the Council service. Working closely with Tameside Hospital has meant that an increasing number of volunteers are taking up paid employment at Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust (TCIFT) adding to its talented and diverse workforce.

The scheme helps  people that require additional support back into work by providing mentoring and training.

Over the last 12-month David is one of the local residents that has benefited from the scheme and graduated from volunteer to employee.
While looking to get back into work, the Pathways to Employment Scheme matched David with a volunteering role in the League of Friends, a group of volunteers who run an on-site café with proceeds donated back to the Trust.

David was then linked up with an opportunity in the Trust’s Catering department and subsequently passed the interview process with support from the Routes to Work Team, taking up a six-month post within the Kitchen.

And thanks to his hard work and application in the role, David has since earned a full-time contract.

Jamie Beaumont, Catering Manager at TCIFT, said: “We were made aware of David via Voluntary Services and the Council’s Routes to Work Team during our recruitment process. His prior experience at the League of Friends and knowledge of how the Trust works made him an ideal candidate.

“He is grateful for the opportunity, has taken it with both hands and we are even more grateful to have him on board with us.

“David is just one example of many in our department and as a result of working closely with other teams, we have been able to fill vacancies quickly with exceptional candidates.”

David says: “It was a fantastic opportunity for me to volunteer in the kitchen and it has really helped me to grow in confidence and learn new skills and work experience. It got me out of the house and kept me active at first but now has really given me a confidence boost.

“I don’t think I could have found a permanent job otherwise. Both the Hospital team and Routes to Work have been brilliant and really given me chance to develop my skills and be much more comfortable talking to customers and staff, I can’t recommend it enough!”

Interested in volunteering to help you find a new role? Contact the Routes to Work Team today on 0161 342 2400 or visit www.tameside.gov.uk/supportedemployment.