PAID PROGRAM

Bradley, and this is his real name, is an incredible young man that we are really proud of. He, like so many young people, has faced a series of barriers that have prevented him from finding work after leaving education.

There are many obstacles in his way that we are unable to discuss here but they are numerous and difficult for him, but not insurmountable with the right support. Unfortunately being bounced around traditional routes of finding employment have not helped the situation. At The Perfect Place to Grow we are able to offer support that government funded routes cannot offer.

When we met him, and he won’t mind us saying this (we checked), we found a shy, anxious young man who found it hard to communicate. He spent a lot of time alone and unsure of how to change his situation. He had worked in the past on a casual basis but each time he found it a difficult experience and retreated into a routine that was rigid and closed to the wider world.    

One way of addressing a young person’s needs  at The Perfect Place to Grow is through time. Bradley was with us for nearly nine months. He started as a volunteer trainee and progressed on to a paid program, working with us and building up his resiliance and abilities.

Another option we have, is to pay people to work with us – one of our founding principals is that young people should be respected both personally and financially. Paying people a real wage demonstrates in the most obvious way that working literally pays. Thanks to the government’s UKSPF grant we were able to make this happen. Listening to Bradley’s recounting of receiving his first payslip with us and what he was able to buy that weekend was an enlightening moment for us.

As with all the young people we started in the kitchen, getting to know him and his specific support needs. Using the kitchen as a place to engage with us and the other young people around him.

He got to experience working on catering projects, planting hops, making pizzas, coffee training, bar work, being outside on a farm to name a few. Bradley has been one of the trainees that has had the opportunity to experience the most we can offer.

Giving young people the access to this many experiences is vital to what we do. Bradley had the opportunity to see how food can inspire change. He built resilience, and gained the confidence and the skills that made him confident and able to find work.

Did it work for Bradley?  Yes.

Bradley has now left The Perfect Place to Grow to work in the kitchen at a venue not too far from us. He is a confident, responsible and delightful young man who is in a completely different place than when we first met him.

We have not changed him, we have offered him the support and tools that have made it possible for Bradley to change his future for the better. And he has made us proud! •