REEP is for any young person between 16-24 years who is struggling to take first steps on their career ladder. With the benefit of an intensive 10 day programme and on-going mentoring from trained volunteers REEP is currently making a positive difference to the lives of two groups of young people
REEP 1
REEP 1 individuals celebrated a successful end to their 10 day programme on Friday 13th February and since then 8 of the 9 young people have continued to make real progress. Their volunteer mentors maintain their support which can bring many challenges but which has undeniably had a very positive impact. This is what Charlie who is working for an IT company reported to his mentor:
“Anyway! Good to hear from you, everything is going pretty darn well with the job, still there and my probation period is up at the end of May so it’s all looking pretty good. They’ve already got me going up and around the country to do stuff at our other sites, including today where I’ve been up to Oxford to fix a bunch of stuff.
That REEP course though has really helped me out with my confidence and all as well, lost a bunch of weight already and buying a motorbike in the next couple weeks, so it’s all go!
Thanks for the job advert, really, I don’t think I’ll be applying for anywhere at the moment though, one of the first times I’ve really enjoyed my job; great people, good work, never bored and waiting for anything and it’s right up my alley, big smiles all round!”
An inspiring update on the young people on REEP 1:
| Aaron |
Doing voluntary work for Hospice Care, has applied for the Army, looking to do CSCS card and possibly finding work in construction |
| Amy |
Working at Crealy Park |
| Charlie |
Working at Co-op, completed CSCS card |
| Charlie |
Working at an IT company and contributing to REEP 2 |
| Hamish |
Applied for Bricklayers apprenticeship at Exeter College |
| Jacob |
(Jacob’s mentor is trying to make contact sadly without success at the moment.) |
| Jemima |
Working at Coaches Cafe |
| Mike |
Working at Devon Recycling |
| Ryan |
Re-taking CSCS card, improving CV and has a part-time job at Yodel |
REEP 2
Meanwhile young people on REEP 2 are just coming to the end of their 10 day programme. REEP 2 is a smaller group of young men who have overcome significant multiple challenges to make huge amounts of progress on the programme. Some young people have not received help from any of the usual agencies. Confidence, self-esteem and aspiration building have been fundamental stepping stones to their progress. They have met their new mentors. For one young man who was extremely nervous and who literally froze prior to the first meeting with his mentor Motiv8-SW’s coaching and mentoring techniques successfully persuaded him to meet his mentor. His satisfaction at finally overcoming his severe lack of self-confidence was immense.
We are looking forward to the REEP 2 presentation day Friday 22 May at St Loye’s. We are really proud of the REEP programme and cannot thank everyone enough for their help, time and involvement. REEP 1 has an 89% success rate of young people starting the REEP programme to progressing into work. But we are we are fortunate to be able to and feel compelled to focus on every individual as an individual. Where other programmes targeting unemployed young people may have cancelled a programme with a small number of individuals we have remembered that “every individual matters”.
Once again thank you to everyone who has supported REEP. Between us all we are making a positive difference to young people’s lives!
Greater Exeter Skills Partnership 