Personal Best training and volunteering programme

The Personal Best Programme is a free training course for people who are not in work or education, but would like to gain opportunities to volunteer in their community and at the same time improve their skills and chances of getting a job. 

The programme, rolled out across London, has recently been approved by the Qualification Curriculum Development Agency (QCDA) - a nationally recognised qualification awarded from the Open College Network. The qualification is Level one which is equivalent to NVQ 1 in event volunteering.

The Personal Best Programme is an eight week course and includes:

• 15 hours of training a week over three days
• team building exercises (develop team and interpersonal skills)
• conflict resolution (in public settings)
• effective customer service
• equal opportunities
• interview techniques
• basic public and fire safety awareness
• two week volunteering placement in an area of their choice
• guaranteed interviews to become a London 2012 volunteer if you successfully complete the programme
• extra support – following successful completion of the course, support is provided by our partner organisation, Pecan, for an additional six months and includes:
• advice
• guidance
• employment support

To be eligible to apply you must:

• be aged 16 and over
• be unemployed and seeking to return to work
• have a good chance of being able to enter employment in the next twelve months
• be claiming incapacity benefit, income support, JSA or be economically inactive
• have the right to work within the UK
• be a resident in Southwark
• not have a qualification above NVQ Level 2

Our Gateway Centre, in Southwark, has successfully run two Personal Best courses, since January 09, with a total of 17 students passing the qualification. At the beginning of September the centre started the third course with 10 new students registered.

The original idea for the course was to give participants the qualification to be able to volunteer at the 2012 Olympics. However, the course is now geared towards people gaining employment.

Also at the Gateway Centre anyone can learn how to put a CV together, improve their interview techniques, complete application forms successfully, get trained to use the computer training and much more.

One-to-one help is available in searching for suitable employment or training. An individual action plan is created to build confidence, set goals and to facilitate on-going referrals. Childcare is also available through the Southwark Childcare Support Scheme.

If you are interested in finding out more contact the Gateway Centre.

Personal Best is a training and volunteer programme that uses the excitement surrounding the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games as a way of encouraging individuals to learn new skills, engage in their communities, raise their aspirations and increase their chances of getting a job.

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