Making a difference

Turned around

Gareth O’Hara

Age: 25
Apprenticeship: NVQ Level 3 in wood occupations
Based: Blackburn, Lancashire

Just a few weeks away from completing a three-year apprenticeship with Twin Valley Homes, Gareth O’Hara finds it hard to believe just how much his life ‘has been turned around’.

Four years ago, Gareth’s life revolved around drugs. Addicted to amphetamines and a regular user of cocaine, he’d lost his job in catering and was living on benefits. A private landlord was taking advantage of his vulnerable state and overcharging him for rent. ‘Everything was about finding the next high,’ Gareth says. ‘I knew my life was falling apart but I just didn’t care. I wasn’t looking after myself at all.’

Having been kicked out of home at 16, Gareth had no family support to fall back on, but a friend stepped in. A neighbour had noticed his declining condition, and gave him an application form for supported housing at the James Street Project in Darwen, Blackburn. ‘That was the start for me,’ says Gareth. ‘It meant everything to get a stable roof over my head.’

Built in 2008, the £3.5m supported housing scheme is made up of 30 self-contained flats, owned and managed by Twin Valley Homes, part of the Together Housing Group, which provides housing services in partnership with Darwen Council. Aimed at anyone with low-level support needs aged 16 to 65, the James Street Project is staffed by professionals who are available to help people with anything from cooking to budgeting.

Each tenant is assigned a keyworker to help prepare tenants for their next move, and Gareth’s keyworker referred him to the Grow programme, a scheme that aims to build confidence and motivation by placing people in different work environments within Twin Valley Homes.

Gareth attended the programme two days a week for eight weeks, and his handiness for woodwork became apparent during a stint with the repairs and maintenance team. Twin Valley Homes offered him an apprenticeship and Gareth took it without hesitation.

‘I wanted to do it for the gentleman who first helped me and everyone else who has supported me,’ he explains.

‘I don’t want to let them down.’

Gareth is now managing his own tenancy and is looking forward to taking up a full-time job with the association as a trainee joiner when his apprenticeship is complete. He has also just been named ‘Student of the Year’ on his carpentry and joinery course. ‘I couldn’t see myself doing anything else,’ he says. ‘I like my work and am happy with the way things are going, but I could never have turned things round on my own.’

A different path

Brett Barlow

Age: 18
Apprenticeship: NVQ Level 3 in joinery
Based: Ossett, Yorkshire

A normal education was never going to be an option for Brett Barlow. By 14, he had already had to cope with the loss of two siblings and his mother. He was also the main carer for his father, who had to undergo triple heart bypass surgery.

Despite this, Brett is in the final year of his apprenticeship with Chevin Housing, part of the Together Housing Group, and was named Youthbuild UK Young Builder of the Year 2014. The government-run scheme celebrates young people who have overcome barriers to train and work in construction.

Brett’s journey started when he was in year 11, and he decided not to sit GCSEs. His teachers encouraged him to attend Chevin Housing’s construction training centre and, after impressing his tutors with his carpentry know-how, he was invited to start an apprenticeship. ‘I’ve had loads of support. I’m confident about the future,’ he says.

Christine Eccles, Brett’s mentor, says: ‘Bringing out the potential of young people who might otherwise be marginalised is a benefit for everyone.’

A gifted rugby player, Brett has also been selected by the British Amateur Rugby League Association youth squad for their tour of Canada. Chevin Housing is sponsoring Brett’s participation. ‘Without their help, I wouldn’t be able to go,’ says Brett. ‘Simple as that.’

Award winner

Alison Clews

Job: Skills and enterprise coordinator at Twin Valley Homes
Location: Blackburn, Lancashire

‘Making a difference to young people’s lives’ is what gets Alison Clews out of bed every morning.

She is currently responsible for overseeing 33 apprentices based across Lancashire and Yorkshire within Together Housing Group, and is also a mentor to Gareth O’Hara. She relishes the transformation she has witnessed. ‘Gaz used to text me saying that he was “having a meltdown” or “desperately needed to chat”. Now he’s texting me with pics of his college work,’ she says.

Just as with her other apprentices, Alison has a meeting with Gareth every six weeks to discuss any problems and review his progress, though in practice, she is happy to meet whenever there’s a need. Alison also encourages apprentices to call or text her, out of office hours, if they urgently need to speak. ‘If they need to talk, it doesn’t matter what the time is,’ she says. ‘I want to be there for them.’

Alison’s rapport with young people and commitment to Together Housing’s apprenticeship programme was recognised nationally last year when she was named Inside Housing and the Chartered Institute of Housing’s Inspirational Mentor of the Year at the UK Housing Awards. She says the key to success in working with the apprentices is to understand their background. ‘When I first meet with a young person, I know I need to gain their trust so that we can deal with the root problem in their lives. So many are from chaotic backgrounds.’

The stumbling blocks to progress range from domestic violence to caring responsibilities, debts or parents that discourage participation. Alison works to resolve these problems by working in partnership with Together Housing’s support services and external agencies such as social services. Another key move is to find a person from within the apprentice’s social or family group who can act as their champion; it means support is available ‘on the inside’ too.

Alison says she is mindful of what the apprenticeship programme means to the community: ‘Working on our estates during training helps to instil pride in the apprentices. If they’ve repaired fences, they’ll ask others to look after those fences too. Their work gives them a stake in the community and a sense of belonging. That, for many, is a breakthrough.’

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