Tenant praises WDH for life-changing employment help

Published by Richard Lord for Wakefield & District Housing in Housing and also in Bill Payments, Central Government, Communities, Education, Local Government

A Wakefield woman who said she wanted to earn a wage to support her 11-year old son has praised Wakefield and District Housing’s (WDH) community employment team after they helped her find two part-time jobs.

Following news last week that announced UK unemployment had risen by 118,000 in the three months to November 2011, WDH has been working hard to reverse the trend locally.

Awa Boku-Sykes, from Lupset in Wakefield, recently secured a second part-time job as a dinner time supervisor, which means she no longer claims job seekers’ allowance because she works over 16 hours.

Last year, WDH helped Mrs Boku-Sykes find her first part-time job as an after-school play supervisor at a local primary school, but she was determined to work more than just the seven hours there in order to support her son.

Mrs Boku-Sykes, 41, said: “I’m an active person and I like to work. I have a son to think of and I want to do my best for him. It was difficult going to the Job Centre because I wanted wage slips, not allowances.

“WDH helped me find a part-time job last year, which I am enjoying, but it’s just for a few hours a week. I wanted to find something else so I could work for longer and not have to go to the Job Centre.”

Determined to boost her income, Mrs Boku-Sykes attended an employment drop-in session at the nearby St George’s Community Centre, where she met WDH Community Employment Advisor Julie Srivastava.

She said: “Julie was really, really good. She helped me with my application forms and contacted me about jobs. I am very happy now because I have a job as a dinner time supervisor and I love working with children.

“They have given me enough hours to work so that I don’t have to claim job seekers’ allowance. I have even got a qualification in childcare and I am working towards another one.

“Now I have two wage slips so I can manage my money better. I feel like I have a much brighter future and can support my son. I can’t thank Julie enough – she has changed my life.”

Julie, who works for WDH in partnership with Jobcentre Plus, runs the employment drop-in sessions at St George’s Community Centre every Monday from 1- 4pm for people who want to find a job.

She said: “We not only help people find jobs but also look at ways to maximise their income, so we can help with job searching, CVs, application forms, PC training, interview skills and identifying training courses to improve people’s prospects of finding employment.”