LIFE & TIMES. 5E LTD NEWSLETTER O ur ESOL and English language provision has been severely affected due to extensive

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1 MarchApril 2012 LIFE & TIMES 5E LTD NEWSLETTER O ur ESOL and English language provision has been severely affected due to extensive funding cuts and this has profoundly affected our learners who are motivated individuals keen for progression and improvement of their English communication skills to help them look for jobs and sustained employment. We also hope that the current Government reconsiders its decision or finds suitable alternate measures to help various disadvantaged and unemployed communities, including BME groups to tackle multiple barriers, including ESOL and English Language skills within the workplace in order to break barriers and obtain sustained employment and life opportunities. (Read more on Page 6) Raj Doshi, Managing Director, 5E Ltd The importance of... U nless you can speak the language of the country where you live you are never accepted and we can t learn the language without ESOL support. Its one of the best help you can give a migrant. Stephen Okafor ESOL E SOL is very important to me as it changed my life. After getting a Masters degree, I was about to give up and go back to Greece but ESOL gave me the confidence to stay back and look for jobs. Konstantinos Vasileiou W hen I came to this country, I didn t know how to speak English. I felt lost and alone. ESOL helped me to fit into society. Yasmin Omar INSIDE THIS ISSUE: How ESOL will help me get a job... Pg 23 Our work experience at 5E... Pg 45 How 5E helped us get jobs... Pg 610

2 2 ESOL: OUR ONLY RAY OF HOPE! Sebahat Altun s needs to improve English communications to work as a hairdresser S ebahat Altun is a mother who never worked before. I did an Hairdressing course in London but my English was very poor and so I came to 5E Ltd to get help with English, she says. Sebahat is in ESOL Entry 2. The course has been fantastic. 5E was very considerate to the fact that I have children and needed time off during the Easter break. The teacher gave me worksheets to practice English as homework, says Sebahat who enjoyed the discussions and group activities in class. They help me talk to and understand my class mates. My classmates were very friendly and we had a lot of fun. The teacher was helpful and I learnt a lot. I passed my exams and I m very happy, says Sebahat. 5 E was very considerate to the fact that I have children and needed time off during the Easter break. The teacher gave me worksheets to practice English as homework, Sebahat Altun R osista Tankova has been in UK for two years and has never worked here. I worked in shops in my country Bulgaria and then for a few years in customs. I can work in the UK but I have a son so I can look for part time jobs. But the biggest problem has been my English language skills, says Rosista who joined the ESOL class and improved her English. I m comfortable speaking and reading and writing some. I have worked all my life until now and I m going crazy staying at home. I hope the government does not cut ESOL funding as it s very important for immigrants like us to learn the language before we can take up employment in UK, she says. I have worked all my life until now and I m going crazy staying at home. I hope the government does not cut ESOL funding as it s very important for immigrants like us to learn the language before we can take up employment in UK. Rositsa Tankova Eager to Work: Rositsa Tankova needs ESOL qualification to find employment in UK Pictures by Ruhi Khan

3 3 ESOL = JOBS I want to be a teaching assistant at a school or work in childcare as I love children. ESOL is my only hope to help get the relevant qualifications and pursue my dream. Songul Findanci S ongul Fidanci came from Turkey and is a young mother. After losing her husband, Songul has taken up the responsibility of raising her family. However she finds English her biggest barrier to get jobs. I want to be a teaching assistant at a school or work in childcare as I love children. But they expect people with good English and qualifications. ESOL is my only hope to help get the relevant qualifications and pursue my dream, says Songul. 5E has given me the confidence to pursue it and I know someday I will be able to achieve my goals, she adds. M mahwa Kebe studied in French in Guinea and was very eager to learn English so she enrolled in an ESOL course at 5E. I think this is the best programme for us to understand English and integrate into society, says Mmahwa. I am very happy with the resources and tutors at 5E and I have learnt so much and passed my ESOL entry 2. I can also help my five year old with his studies now, she proudly says. Mmahwa wants to work in childcare or as a nurse and ESOL, she says, is very important for her to pursue qualifications in that. I can also help my five year old with his studies now. I want to work in childcare Mmahwa Kebe D ovile Kryzeviciene believes that coming to ESOL class was one of the best decision of her life. I have learnt a lot here and can now confidently Mhawaha Kebe (left) and Songul Findanci need ESOL to get qualifications in childcare speak and write simple sentences on a lot of everyday topics. I have also improved my reading. This will definitely help me search for jobs, says Dovile who can now help her children with their homework. I m very happy with all the help and support I got at 5E. I have got the confidence to speak to employers and I can now fill out applications forms too. Dovile Kryzeviciene Dovile believes ESOL will help her with job search Pictures by Ruhi Khan

4 4 5E gives some motivated and dynamic clients a chance to get work experience at its offices across London in various projects that the company offers. Moving beyond homes 5 E runs Launch Pad, a four week training programme followed by a four week placement to help lone parents find employment. Margo McNichol & Lucy Gayer, two single Mums worked as teaching assistants, helping and mentoring ESOL students. Picture by Ruhi Khan Picture by Shraddha Vaidya S ince I started Launch pad, I have learnt a lot about the labour market and what is needed in order to make progress within the ever changing labour force. I love the placement at 5E as a teaching assistant. It gave me a chance to observe the teachers, interact with students and help them with their classwork. This has definitely given me confidence to get back to work. Margo McNichol I have thoroughly enjoyed the four weeks on Launch Pad. Oni the tutor gave the class confidence to find work. I love helping others so he said I could help in the English classroom. I felt enthusiastic and really enjoyed helping the students. They made my time really enjoyable and they told me they found me very helpful. I often used my own initiative and truly enjoyed interacting with the learners and helping them complete their classroom tasks. Thank you for giving me this opportunity. Lucy Gayer Picture by Ruhi Khan

5 5 I love the teamwork at 5E Work programme clients have also often taken up voluntary placements at 5E. Sarah Saleem talks about her transformation from a unemployed graduate to an enthusiastic career adviser. M y name is Sarah and I started with 5E limited on February 28, 2012, initially there was an induction with the admin team and later on I was given the opportunity to attend employability workshop. James was conducting this workshop and it lasts for 3 days. During this workshop, he shared with us his experience and added so many life experiences including humour that made this workshop very interesting for us. After that, I had to start with Janice, she is the senior most adviser and very knowledgeable too. My first meeting with Janice was very interesting and the way she works and deals with client inspired me a lot and somewhere inside me, there was a feeling that I should do something like this, where I love the work, like the people and can contribute to society. This role was inspiring me. Although I came from finance background, but I had quite a lot of interaction with my colleagues and outside people, but this seemed bit challenging too. I showed my interest to be an advisor. Janice forwarded my CV to the manager Rakesh and I had a chat with him, I found him very helping and a Kind person. He gave me this opportunity to work as voluntary advisor. I started with Magdalena Socha, she was a very lovely lady and it was a lot more fun to spend time with her, she told me everything about the advisor s role and her dealing with clients was very professional and enviable; I learnt so many things from her. I spent two weeks with Megda and those days were memorable. I like almost every person who helped me and made this workplace comfortable for me especially Janice. This company has given a very challenging and interesting opportunity and I am enjoying here a lot. By the end of the day, I feel myself very satisfied and this is what I was always looking for. I am very thankful to Rakesh and Janice and everyone else s who has been a part of this learning process. I feel that I should be a part of this friendly environment and I am hoping for it. T his company has given a very challenging and interesting opportunity and I am enjoying here a lot. By the end of the day, I feel very satisfied. Sarah Saleem Pictures by Ruhi Khan

6 6 Picture by Tito Mir I n these difficult times of economic hardship and recession where current Government policy priorities and funding migrate away from ESOL and English language l e a r n i n g p r o grammes towards addressing youth/ NEET disengagement, unemployment and Apprenticeships. Our ESOL and English language provision has been severely affected due to extensive funding cuts and this has profoundly affected our learners who are motivated individuals keen for progression and improvement of their English communication skills to help them look for jobs and sustained employment. Also affected as a result of these unfortunate funding cuts have been our highly skilled and experienced ESOL tutors Even in these difficult times 5E marches on! who regrettably had to go through unavoidable redundancies. We are deeply saddened by this huge loss to our organisation and wish our dear colleagues the best in their futures. We also hope that the current Government reconsiders its decision or finds suitable alternate measures to help various disadvantaged and unemployed communities, including BME groups to tackle multiple barriers, including ESOL and English Language skills within the workplace in order to break barriers and obtain sustained employment and life opportunities. Even in these difficult times, 5E will do its best to continue its work for the disadvantaged in the community. Our advisers on the Work programme constantly impart advice and training to a large number of unemployed and help them find sustained employment. We also run courses in Retail Works, Business Administration and Information technology which helps clients focus on specialist learning and find employment in the sector of their choice. Subsequently, for those progressing into employment we are able to provide in work training and career development pathways including Apprenticeship opportunities, higher level training and other workforce development. 5E is continuously developing its service provision to help our customers find and sustain employment in these difficult times of austerity. Raj Doshi, Managing Director, 5E Ltd At 5E: I learnt... I could achieve more in life! Laurie Simmons credits his motivation to 5E and his tutor Trevien Naicker L aurie Simmons did not finish his schooling but at 5E he managed to get a Level 2 qualification in Retail Works. Simmons is all excited with his new qualification that ensures he can apply for jobs in retail giving him access to some of the biggest employers in UK. "I am glad that I managed to finish this course. Thanks to my tutor Trevien I have now passed and will soon receive my certificate," said Simmons. Simmons has worked as a road sweeper but lack of formal education or qualification meant he could not apply for a lot of jobs. "This has given me the confidence that I can achieve more in my life," said Simmons. "Laurie was always positive about learning, had a great rapport with fellow students and his enthusiasm will see him well in any role," said Trevien Naicker.

7 7 I found a job with... NO Experience & NO Qualification I t s a full time job and I m excited to take on this new challenge and meet the whole city! Giuseppe Antonio 5E adviser Mrugesh gives Giupesse Antonio some tips on how to sustain his new found employment G uiseppe Antonio did some voluntary work as a sales assistant in a charity shop before he came to 5E on a work programme. Earlier I had worked briefly as a caretaker in Enfield homes which I had to give up due to health reasons. So in all I have worked for a year, says the nineteen year old who was on the programme for less than a month before he found a job. I was looking for something that did not require any experience or qualification and this job came up online and so I applied for it, says Giuseppe. When he got an interview call, his my adviser at 5E Mrugesh Desai put him up for interview training and motivation session. The interviewer was very impressed with me and hired me instantly, says Giuseppe smiling. Giuseppe had the drive but lacked focus. I advised him on the best ways to do job search and assisted him in applying for jobs that suited his profile and I m very happy he took my advise on board and secured employment, says Mrugesh. Now Giuseppe will be working for Blue River Advertising and his job involves going to people s houses and asking them to donate some money to a charity of their choice. It s a full time job and I m excited to take on this new challenge and meet the whole city!, says an enthusiastic Giuseppe. Giuseppe is happy that he will now be off benefits and earn his living. I was motivated to find the job, but 5E and my adviser gave me the extra push and training that was crucial for me to do job search and get this job. Thank you 5E, he says Pictures by Ruhi Khan

8 8 J Tuncer congratulates Jacqueline on sustained employment acqueline Crichlow gave up any hope of employment when she left work in 1986 to raise her family. Prior to that she worked as a picker packer in Enfield. When Jacqueline came to 5E on the Work Programme Maximus, she was sceptical of finding work in days of rising unemployment. But her adviser Tuncer Yukcel was persistent. Jacqueline was a shy lady, so I Put her in an interview technique and confidence building workshop with 5E s trainer James Akpan, Back to work after 16 years says Tuncer. This gave Jacqueline the necessary confidence to apply for jobs and she was offered a work trial at Matalan for a week which turned into a three month temporary job offer. Tuncer says that after three month working at Matalan he could see a new Jacqueline happy and confident. Before my temporary contract ran out Matalan offered me a permanent job. I couldn t believe my ears, says Jacqueline. This would have never been possible in my life without the help I got at 5E, she says. B efore my temporary contract ran out Matalan offered me a permanent job. I couldn t believe my ears. Jacqueline Crichlow 5E found my missing motivation Adviser Kavitha s motivation sessions with Samantha helped her bag employment S amantha Lewis had over five years experience in the social care sector and three years experience in retail. Her last job as a teaching assistant in a school ended in May Since then Samatha has been looking for employment unsuccessfully. It was very frustrating not finding any jobs. Soon I had lost all hope of finding work, says Samantha who came to 5E on the Work Programme. What Samantha lacked was motivation and hope. She had a good CV and I could see that she was capable of working. So I focussed our sessions on building her confidence and motivation, says her adviser Kavitha. Samantha was put on a work trial at Matalan. I really enjoyed working after so long. Matalan was a lovely place and the people very helpful, says Samantha. Soon Samatha was offered a job at Matalan which she happily accepted. I knew once Samatha could overcome her barriers she would be able to find job easily. I m really glad that Matalan has offered her employment, says Kavitha. I m extremely grateful to my adviser Kavitha and everyone at 5E who helped me find employment, says Samantha. I t was very frustrating not finding any jobs. Soon I had lost all hope of finding work. Then 5E helped me get a job at Matalan. Samantha Lewis Pictures by Ruhi Khan

9 9 I want to help school children S hika Larnyo came to 5E on the work programme for Maximus. Within a few weeks she walked away with a job offer as a teaching assistant at a school of her choice. Shika describes her journey at 5E as a very interesting one. I remember when I was told at the job centre that I had to join a working programme because I had been on JSA for sometime, I was furious with myself for not getting a job and it all had come to this, says Shika. Her first day at 5E was spent filling in tons of papers and having an induction. Shika remembers, Although I was doing everything I was told to do, I was a bit reluctant and I believe it showed in my attitude. All this changed when she was introduced to her adviser. At the end of the day I was introduced to my key worker, a lady called Kavitha and that was when my perception about the whole work programme changed. Kavitha was so nice and very relaxed and straight away put me at ease. She actually saw my potential and advised me on several job and career options I could have, says Shika who added that although she was under no obvious pressure to get into the job, she seriously started applying for jobs that she felt she could do. In no time, she had an for an interview which she was nervous about. Shika had the necessary skills and qualifications for find employment in her sector. What she lacked was motivation and training on presenting herself to employers, which is what we at 5E helped her with and soon she found a job, says Kavita. Kavitha was so nice and very relaxed and straight away put me at ease. She actually saw my potential and advised me on several job and career options I could have, Shika Larnyo Picture by Ruhi Khan I called Kavita with this and as usual she calmed my nerves and arranged a mock interview for me with one of her colleagues Ruhi, who trained me in interview skills and how to answer difficult questions. So on the day of the interview I was well prepared and needless to say, I got the job!, says an excited Shika. Shika was unwell when she came for interview practise, yet her enthusiasm was very high. She knew what was expected of her in the job but did not know how to articulate her thoughts into words. She practised hard with me and at the end of it I was sure she had a very high chance of securing employment, says Ruhi. I want to thank Kavitha, Ruhi and the 5E Team, says Shika.

10 10 Pictures by Ruhi Khan Working does not mean end to benefits L eoney Rose came to 5E looking for employment on the Work Programme. However she was sceptical about finding employment at her terms specially during an economic downturn. Leoney had a lot of worries about how starting employment again would affect her benefits, says her adviser Kelly Ng who then put Leoney to a specialist adviser who helped her with benefit calculations and listened to her concerns and helped her to overcome them. I found 5E very encouraging and they provided me with confidence. The advisers are always there and support you right from the start. They were always welcoming and have time to listen to you no matter what, says Leonie. Leonie who now works as a care worker at Scimitar Care Hotels Plc believes 5E s staff were instrumental in helping her secure employment there. I would recommend 5E to those seeking support, looking for suitable work and trying to gain training. Overall 5E has been a good experience and the staff are very supportive, she adds. I am now a personal trainer S Picture by Ruhi Khan ince coming to 5E, I have been helped in achieving my goal of becoming a personal trainer. I am now a self employed personal trainer helping people achieve their fitness goals. I have almost finished my diploma in personal training. The staff at 5E was very helpful and advised me on what I needed to do. I am happy I have finally found employment. Thank you Kavita, my adviser and 5E. Dean Ibrahim, Work programme Client

11 11 How to market YOU! A successful job search needs an eye catching marketing campaign for a great product: you! Although nobody knows you better than you know yourself, it's not always easy to pitch yourself right, especially when you've only got your CV and cover letter to prove that you have the skills, experience and personality to succeed in a new job. Here are some tips: Sell the product It's hard to sell yourself... All our lives we're taught not to boast and definitely never EVER be big headed. But now you really have to go for it! Think of yourself as a product and fill your CV and cover letter with the benefits and special features that would make a potential employer want to buy. Don't be shy Americans are NOT shy about selling themselves but it's often a problem for many Brits. If you're not confident then talk about your skills and experience as if you were recommending a friend or colleague. "We're not good at selfpromotion," says Peter Appleby, managing director of career consultants, Appleby Associates. You could even get a good friend to write bits of your application for you if you're struggling. Pick your audience Build a hit list of employers who will be interested in your particular skills and experience. Don't forget to contact professional institutions and local clubs as they will have information on local employers and be easier to talk to than a company's HR department. Get personal Clara, a marketing manager looking for her next move up the ladder, decided to meet marketing directors in the flesh. A little flattery goes a long way and when Clara called she asked for advice, not a job. "A surprising number agreed to meet me and a personal recommendation led to a job". And it's surprisingly easy to do. Be forward but not arrogant Although it's essential that you sell yourself, you do need to choose your words and tone carefully. It's important to "avoid sounding boastful when reflecting your strengths", says Mike Warren, director of Proteus Consultancy. For example, you could say: "I have a reputation for writing outstanding code" rather than "I am the best programmer in my team". Use your budget well Every marketing campaign needs a budget and job hunting is no exception. But rather than money, your most important resource is time. It's easy to be "busy" looking for jobs, but is your hard work getting you anywhere? When applying to job ads, stay focused and only look at companies that offer the right 'fit' for you. Wasting time on lots of random jobs is not a good way of getting anywhere. etiquette is unavoidable in the modern job hunt and highly effective if used well. "People scan s, they don't read them," advises Paul Crabtree, marketing director of Adestra, an direct marketing agency. His golden rules of marketing are: Use bullet points and short paragraphs to make it easy on the eye. Use a subject line to explain what the is about rather than cryptic, teasing messages. Tailor each for each application and don't use the BCC function. Avoid large images to ensure you get past company firewalls. Contributed by Soniya Akthar, 5E Employment Adviser Courtesy: Totaljobs.co.uk

12 13 Motivating Tips 5. Find Your Itch What is keeping you from working. Don t let the itch continue without isolating it and removing the problem. Are you unmotivated because your tired, afraid, bored, restless or angry. Maybe it is because you aren t sure you have time or delegated tasks haven t been finished yet. 10. Get the Right Tools Your environment can have a profound effect on your enthusiasm. Computers that are too slow, inefficient applications or a vehicle that breaks down constantly can kill your motivation. Building motivation is almost as important as avoiding the traps that can stop it. 1. Go Back to Why Focusing on a dull task doesn t make it any more attractive. Zooming out and asking yourself why you are bothering in the first place will make it more appealing. If you can t figure out why, then there s a good chance you shouldn t bother with it in the first place. 2. Go for Five Start working for five minutes. Often that little push will be enough to get you going. 3. Move Around Get your body moving as you would if you were extremely motivated to do something. This faking it approach to motivation may seem silly or crude, but it works. 4. Find the Next Step It s impossible to work on a project. All you can do is focus on the next immediate step. Fighting an amorphous blob of work will only cause procrastination. Chunk it up so that it becomes manageable. 6. Deconstruct Your Fears I m sure you don t have a phobia about getting stuff done. But at the same time, hidden fears or anxieties can keep you from getting real work completed. Isolate the unknowns and make yourself confident you can handle the worst case scenario. 7. Get a Partner Find someone who will motivate you when you re feeling lazy. I have a friend I go to the gym with. Besides spotting weight, having a friend can help motivate you to work hard when you d normally quit. 8. Kickstart Your Day Plan out tomorrow. Get up early and place all the important things early in the morning. Building momentum early in the day can usually carry you forward far later. 9. Read Books Not just selfhelp or motivational books, but any book that has new ideas. New ideas get your mental gears turning and can build motivation. Learning new ideas puts your brain in motion, so it requires less time to speed up to your tasks. 11. There are No Small Problems The worst killer of motivation is facing a seemingly small problem that creates endless frustration. Reframe little problems that must be fixed as bigger ones, or they will kill any drive you have. 12. Develop a Mantra Find a few statements that focus your mind and motivate you. It doesn t matter whether they are pulled from a tacky motivational poster, or just a few words to tell you what to do. If you aren t sure where to start, a good personal mantra is, Do it now! 13. Build on Success Success creates success. When you ve just won, it is easy to feel motivated about almost anything. Emotions tend not to be situation specific, so a small win, whether it is a compliment from a colleague or finishing two thirds of your tasks before noon can turn you into a juggernaut. There are many ways you can place small successes earlier on to spur motivation later. Structuring your todo lists, placing straightforward tasks such as exercising early in the day or giving yourself an affirmation can do the trick. Courtesy: lifehack.org Stress is nothing more than a socially acceptable form of mental illness. Richard Carlson Creating a brighter future through training & learning 5E LTD CENTRES SELBY CENTRE LONDON N17 8JL TEL: FAX: MERIT HOUSE BARNET 1ST FLOOR 508 EDGWARE ROAD LONDON NW9 5AF TEL: FAX: WATKINS HOUSE PEGAMOID ROAD LONDON N18 2NG TEL: FAX: FOREST HOUSE 1620 CLEMENTS RD ILFORD IG1 1BA TEL: FAX: CYPRESS HOUSE UNIT A 2ND FLOOR 2 COBURG ROAD WOODGREEN N22 6UJ TEL: FAX: SRATFORD CENTRE BROADWAY UNIT 5&6 2 THE BROADWAY STRATFORD LONDON E15 4QS TEL: FAX: Editor: Ruhi Khan Publisher: Raj Doshi, MD, 5E Ltd, UK For Feedback & Contributions: ruhi@fivee.co.uk TWITTER: 5ELimited FACEBOOK: 5E Limited London EDMONTON GREEN CENTRE 2ND FLOOR, NORTH PART ST. GEORGE S CHAMBER EDMONTON GREEN LONDON N9 0TT TEL: FAX: