As part of our work with Developing Young Workforce, Jobcentre Plus offered to have Work Coaches go into schools and talk about ‘A day in the Life’ with students. We wanted to help break down the misconceptions and fears of what goes on in a Jobcentre and promote a more positive image of the office.
Lorraine Ramsay and Jennifer McKenna were asked to go along to Rockwell and speak to a group of 15 and 16 year olds who have particular challenges and the school are working with them to develop these young people as the future work force. Lorraine and Jennifer took the opportunity to learn about what the youngsters had been doing to prepare themselves for leaving school, before explaining to them the basics of universal credit and its purpose. We asked them what their perceptions of the Jobcentre and universal credit were and took the opportunity to address these directly. Subsequently we discussed in depth the role of the work coach and the support that we can offer to customers. Lorraine rounded up the session by offering them the opportunity to visit the office to demonstrate the role of the work coach in practice, which the school are very keen to take forward.
Feedback from the school has been extremely positive and they are keen to undertake similar sessions regularly with the pupils.
This article was written by Jobcentre Plus staff.