Another successful year for Melin’s Employment Team
Once again, our dynamic Employment Team has enjoyed a busy year supporting Melin residents with opportunities for training, work and a more secure future. The impact of their work over the past year has been transformative for many individuals and families and here we want to showcase some of the team’s success stories…
Written by Will
—09 May, 2024
Headline stats
From 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024, our Employment Team helped dozens of residents from a range of backgrounds and each with their own unique set of circumstances and aspirations for the future. This included:
- Receiving a total of 112 resident referrals from Melin staff and other stakeholders.
- Facilitating 287 employment outcomes, including giving support in various forms such as employability, work experience, qualifications and training.
- The team supported 52 people directly into paid employment.
The range of help provided by the team covered many different areas of employment and training and included support with writing CVs, support with driving training, provision of work clothes/PPE equipment and support to achieve recognised qualifications/licences.
Getting residents into the workplace
As mentioned, over 50 residents were helped into paid employment and the team is proud of the fact that we have helped residents into a range of different sectors, helping to support our local economy.
We helped residents to find jobs in accounting, IT, construction, health and care, hospitality/catering, manufacturing, retail, logistics, security and more.
Real examples; real residents
Statistics and numbers don’t tell the whole story. We wanted to share some real-life examples of Melin residents we have worked with who discovered new opportunities by engaging with our services…
Matthew, 53, Monmouthshire
Through engaging with the Employment Team, Matthew secured a 40-hour week position as a Maintenance Manager at a golf club in Raglan. We assisted Matthew with food vouchers, travel expenses, and more, easing his transition back into work.
Thank you so much to Melin and to Dafydd [Melin Employment Advisor] for the support I have received for getting back into work. The things you have put in place for me have made the transition seamless, and I’d highly recommend the service to fellow [residents.]
Emily, 48, Torfaen
After being unemployed for a short time, Emily secured a full-time position as a finance administrator in Newport. Our Employment Team provided Emma with essential support, including training in Microsoft Excel and fuel vouchers. This helped to get Emily ready to make a great first impression at her new job.
I recently fell on hard times with the loss of employment after several steady years of security. When I made my initial call to Melin to update them of my circumstances and employment loss I was met with a surge of support that I never expected. […] I cannot thank the team members enough and simply for listening.
Nicola, 36 & Chad, 38, Torfaen
Married couple, Nicola and Chad have a young family and have sought to find work that will fit around the pressures of family life.
Nicola, a non-driver, was keen to get into work to earn money to support the family. With the Employment Team's help, she secured a full-time position as an assistant at Secret Garden, working in the kitchen. The work environment suits Nicola well, offering flexibility around her children's school hours and other commitments.
Nicola is ambitious for the future, so the Employment Team will also be funding driving lessons for Nicola and paying for her theory test, which will allow her greater freedom to explore future opportunities in work and training.
Meanwhile, Chad found employment as a carpenter with a local company. Initially hired on a temporary contract, Chad's strong performance earned him a permanent position. Chad enjoys the work and is part of a supportive team.
We supported the family’s transition into work with Chad with food vouchers, shopping vouchers for work clothes, fuel vouchers, and a food bank referral. This assistance has made a massive difference to the family.
I will be forever grateful for everyone at Melin, especially Dafydd, because without him we wouldn’t have been able to move forward in life. Not only helping with material things, it has helped massively with my mental health as we no longer need to worry.
