CASE STUDY – WINS
Wins originally worked as a driver in our time at Kings Cross and was employed in a paid capacity for four years. Very sadly, he was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, and although he was able to carry on for a while, in the end was simply unable to cope with the physical nature of the work. "Since leaving the project, I haven’t been able to work at all, but a few months ago my daughter started school, and I wanted to do more with my time than just sit around the house. Once I’d decided to do some voluntary work this seemed the obvious place to give my time to."Wins now volunteers in our office a few days a week, and structures his hours around looking after his child. He mainly helps out on the phones, answering queries, giving out information and booking in collections. "It’s nice to be able to help people out when they contact us, and there’s a really good spirit at the charity."
CASE STUDY – MICHELE
Michele started as volunteer at ReStore in February 2004. Originally from Italy, he arrived in London in May 2003 unable to speak English, and although he did some work once he arrived here, it did not involve interacting with other people.Michele then spoke with Finsbury Park Partnership with a view to finding a voluntary placement which would help him to speak English, and they gave him details of our project. He hence came to volunteer at ReStore in the office for three mornings per week.
Initially Michele did some basic administration work around the office, which enabled him to get used to being in a working environment and able to improve his English by talking with the other staff and volunteers at ReStore.
After a while, when he felt a little more confident and at ease, he began to see clients face-to-face. This entailed showing them around our warehouse, booking in items for delivery, taking payment for such items, and liaising with the Operations Manager to arrange times for delivery. He also went out on the vans on an occasional basis if we were short of van crew, to assist the van driver with collections from and deliveries to households, and carried out other off-site activities, such as banking.
Michele remained at ReStore for 18 months, while simultaneously attending college to gain qualifications. After this time he felt that he had learned as much as he could at ReStore, and soon moved into paid work. He is now an accounting assistant for three days per week for an international research company, and is nearing the end of a college course in advanced accounting.
Michele says about his time at ReStore ‘My time at ReStore was very useful. When I started here my English was so poor, and I was scared about dealing with customers as I feared I wouldn’t be able to understand them. But all the people here were very friendly, and I started to learn proper English. This helped my confidence and made me feel that I had friends here. It gave me the basic skills and helped me realise that I would be able to become an accountant in England, which I had always wanted to do’.
TESTIMONIES:
'We have worked with ReStore for many years, and this has enabled us to place hundreds of unemployed individuals there to gain work experience. Many of the people we place our long-term unemployed, and often lack formal qualifications, so a successful three or six month placement with an organisation such as ReStore is therefore often a vital stepping stone, which greatly helps their future employment prospects'.
Bernie Robbins, Client Advisor, (Action 4 Employment)
'ReStore, and the service they provide, are an absolute necessity for us as they provide affordable furniture and white goods that basically set up home for the client group I work with. Over the last 5 years I have built up a good working relationship with ReStore, as I think they provide an excellent service across London to a vulnerable client group that would otherwise struggle to set up home.'
Stephen Fulford, Tenancy Support Team, (Connection St. Martin's)
'I would like to thank your staff on behalf of our resettled clients, for the resource you offer to impoverished people at a critical time in their resettlement. It is pleasing to see such a variety of household furniture at your site, at affordable prices. It gives our clients reassurance that they can get all that they need to make a new start in their new homes.'
Errol Fraser, Resettlement Worker (Novas Ouvertures Group)
'BCASS was very grateful to ReStore for their assistance when one of our housebound client’s fridge-freezer needed replacement. The delivery was very much appreciated!'
Karen Whitaker, Chief Executive, BCASS (Barnet Care and Support Services)
'Haringey council has an effective and long-standing relationship with ReStore. Working together means that we achieve much more than if we worked alone. The environmental, social and economic benefits are felt by Haringey residents the length and breadth of the borough every day. Haringey is happy to be associated with ReStore Community Projects'.
Cllr Peter Hillman Executive member for environment and conservation (Haringey Council)
'We have worked with ReStore for a while now, with you providing invaluable work experience placements for young adults with learning difficulties and disabilities. Our students have found this to be a very useful experience, in terms of both what they have actually learned, and with respect to being in a working environment around other employees. This has helped to promote their independence at a crucial stage in their life. Many employers are extremely reluctant to provide work placements for young people with learning difficulties, but ReStore has been a notable exception to this'.
Martina Pearl, Work Experience Coordinator (City & Islington College)