Step Forward Tees Valley and AAA Property Partner for Success

July 11th 2022

An unemployed participant returned to paid work recently, as the Step Forward Tees Valley team celebrated another brilliant result. The participant joined the programme in 2021 after being out of work for a while and credited Step Forward Tees Valley for giving her the support she needed to gain employment.

Funded by the European Social Fund and the National Lottery Community Fund, Step Forward Tees Valley works with a number of specialist partners to help unemployed adults overcome the barriers to work or training and since 2016 has supported over 4,000 people progress towards work or training.

Cheryl Gooding, Employer Engagement Coordinator, from Step Forward Tees Valley’s partner organisation Changing Lives played an important role in supporting the Darlington based participant.

Due to a poor experience with a previous employer, the participant was unsure whether she had the confidence to move back into work but Cheryl worked with her to build up her skills and self-belief to the point where she became keen to explore taking on a work placement.

Cheryl said:

“The participant clearly had some brilliant skills and was great at what she did but her confidence was very low. I worked with her every step of the way to ensure that she was ready to give it another go.”

Cheryl arranged a meeting with AAA Property – a successful property management company based in Sedgefield – as they have a track record of supporting Step Forward Tees Valley and corporate responsibility is something they strongly believe in.

Cheryl continued:

“It’s always wonderful to work with AAA Property because they are such a great business and they understand what we’re trying to do. They feel it’s important to give back and support others.”

AAA Property is a family run business that specialises in property management and student lettings which has expanded over the years to offer a range of services including training and the Caring Caretaker which works in partnership with local estate agents and private landlords.

AAA Property have recently achieved the status of Disability Confident Leader via the UK Government’s Disability Confident scheme. Achieving this status recognises their commitment to supporting the needs and the health of disabled people and realising the value that disabled people can bring to a business. This approach means that AAA Property understand that Step Forward Tees Valley works with people who may have barriers to entering employment and go above and beyond to support our participants into work.

Alison Stephenson, Managing Director of AAA Property made Cheryl aware of an admin placement that was available and after a meeting with both the participant and Alison, it was agreed that the participant would begin on a structured four-week work placement.

Throughout the placement, our participant not only improved her existing skills but learned many more, including updating accounts and cash flow systems, inputting invoices, auditing, updating rotas and more general administration duties.

On the last day of the participant’s placement, a review meeting was held to gather feedback from the employer only to find out that the participant was offered employment which she accepted without a second thought.

The participant said:

“Alison and the team at AAA made me feel really wanted. It’s like working in a family atmosphere and I’m so happy to have been offered a permanent role there.

Step Forward Tees Valley and Changing Lives have been instrumental in getting me back into employment. I feel lucky to have been involved with such a worthwhile programme. Their guidance has truly helped me improve my self-esteem and confidence through the support they have offered me.

I feel I have an exciting future ahead of me that looks bright!”