Richard Benyon MP visited us last Friday for our World of Work celebration. This week, in the Thatcham and Newbury Chronicle there is a lovely article he has written about what our staff and students do at The Castle School in terms of opening doors to employment.
Click here to read the article on Richard Benyon's blog, or better still, pick up a copy of the paper to keep.
"Last week I attended a celebration at the Castle School’s 16-19 unit at Newbury College. This special school is exceptional. This is not just for the care and education it gives to so many young people who face real difficulties in their lives, but for the hope it gives to them and their families. The determination to give young people with learning difficulties the best start to adult life is infectious. The school has accessed a Government scheme called the World of Work Programme which runs three projects in Kent, London and West Berkshire. It prepares young people who would almost certainly be consigned to a life on benefits, for a job. It then finds them a job. It is the combination of getting training for work and actually getting work that so transforms lives. I heard stories from staff at the school, from employers and from the young people themselves that were profoundly moving. A real feel-good session. This project builds on the support offered in West Berkshire by other charities such as The Enham Trust. They have proved that employing someone with a disability or a mental illness can have huge benefits for your company. Because life has constantly knocked them back, the individuals they place in employment are often the most motivated and the most driven to please. Work for them is more than just a job; it’s about gaining or regaining their dignity and self-esteem.
In the World for Work program employers are key. Massive praise needs to go to those who devote time and support in the workplace. Outstanding among these is Waitrose who were in at the start and have made the most of the exceptional young people they take into their workplace. There are a growing number of other local employers who are following their lead. These include Tesco, Budgens, Pizza Hut, The Watermill Theatre, The Corn Exchange and West Berkshire Council. When you put custom their way you can do so in the knowledge that these employers do real good for society by giving dignity and hope to people who really need and deserve it."
