Employers should read the following to gain a brief insight into how the ASK Project can be beneficial to you.

The aim of the ASK Project is to provide assistance to both unemployed people and businesses through establishing and developing work placement opportunities.

The first 13 weeks of the ASK Project provides Training in Housing Law, Advocacy and Advice, Dealing with Debt, and Job Seeking Skills. The second 13 weeks will see the Trainees attending a work placement for up to 15 hours per week.

Through the work placement Trainees should ideally be given the opportunity to put their training into practice, and thereby gain valuable practical experience within a structured work environment.

In return to offering Trainees the opportunity of a work placement, employers gain an additional member of staff – with no financial outlay.

ASK Trainees will be keen to develop both personally and professionally. This may well be reflected in their approach to being both useful and productive for the employer during the life of the work placement.

The ASK Support Officer will visit the relevant organisation before and during the work placement to help ensure that both the employer and ASK staff are actively and effectively supporting the Trainee, in addition to ensuring that any areas of concern are addressed promptly.

Ideally the work placements should be in a field related to the Training that has been delivered, although this could range from any of the advice giving agencies through to Housing Associations and Local Authorities, and perhaps on to other areas.

If you are an employer and are currently offering work placements, or have the potential to offer work placements to ASK Trainees, then please contact;

John Martin
Training & Development Manager
Derbyshire Housing Aid
46 Curzon Street
DE11 1LL

Tel:-     01332 297611
Fax:-    01332 297597
e-mail:- john.martin@housingaid.org.uk