East Coast Community Healthcare helps ‘kick-start’ young people’s careers
Voluntary work in Beccles, Lowestoft, Great Yarmouth or from home is available, along with a range of paid opportunities, as East Coast Community Healthcare needs you. Picture: East Coast Community Healthcare - Credit: Archant
Eight young people from the local area have successfully completed a government-funded work placement scheme with East Coast Community Healthcare (ECCH).
The Kickstart scheme, which launched in autumn 2020, was designed for 16 to 24-year-olds in receipt of Universal Credit, matching them to paid work experience placements with local employers so they can gain skills, boost confidence and gain the tools needed to enter employment.
Having joined the scheme last November, ECCH’s teams have supported trainees through a six-month programme, with half of the cohort taking on clinical roles as Rehabilitation Support Workers, and others gaining experience in non-clinical placements within HR, Administration and IT.
All young people who undertook a clinical placement with the social enterprise ECCH - which provides community-based NHS healthcare services across Norfolk and Suffolk - have obtained a care certificate.
This can be used to help them find work in the healthcare sector, whilst those in non-clinical roles have completed a range of training courses to support future employment.
Kickstart trainee quality administrator Daisy Antoniou said: “Working at ECCH through the Kickstart programme has been extremely beneficial.
"Everyone has been very helpful in making sure I get the most out of my time here.
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"I feel a lot more confident now navigating professional workspaces and working independently.”
ECCH’s organisational development and training manager, Cheryl Jarvis, said: “We’re thrilled to have been able to support these young people in their training and offer them opportunities to learn more about the roles that are available within the NHS.
"They’ve been really enthusiastic to learn and have been highly regarded by their respective teams.
"We hope the programme has given them the tools and insight they need to embark on rewarding careers.”
With ECCH's headquarters based in Lowestoft, two trainees who started the programme later than the others are still working with ECCH – one in a clinical role and the other in the facilities team.
