A HUGE THANKS TO STATE STREET FROM NORTH EDINBURGH CHILDCARE
North Edinburgh Childcare’s Childcare Academy programme has now supported nearly 200 unemployed people to attain their SVQ Level 2 in Childcare and to progress into jobs in the childcare sector. Despite this success, the reality is that the majority progress into low paid jobs, earning the National Minimum Wage, within a sector where the only way to sustain your employment and enhance your income earning potential is to obtain further qualifications at SVQ Level 3 or above.
Due to the significant costs involved, former Childcare Academy participants cannot afford to self fund their way through the SVQ Level 3 and sources of financial support that were previously available have long since disappeared.
Last year, we were encouraged by one of our service users Lorna Roberts (an employee at State Street Corporation’s Edinburgh Branch) to submit an application for funding to the State Street Foundation to enable us to provide 12 former Childcare Academy participants with the opportunity to undertake their SVQ Level 3 free of charge. The application was successful and the initial group of grateful beneficiaries began their 18 month SVQ Level 3 journey in November 2011. All are progressing well through their award appreciative of the chance they have been given by State Street to enhance their families quality of life. Achievement of the SVQ Level 3 will enable them to sustain their employment, register with the Scottish Social Services Council at the higher ‘Practitioner’ level, compete for higher paid ‘Practitioner’ jobs, enhance their level of household income and ultimately to progress out of ‘In Work’ poverty.
With the encouragement and support of both Lorna and Richard Walker (Client Services Manager at our local State Street) we recently submitted a second application to the Foundation to enable a further group of 14 former Childcare Academy participants to access the same opportunity and we are absolutely delighted to announce that our application has once again been successful.
We would like to extend a huge thank you to State Street for recognizing the long term implications of the situation faced by local workers earning the minimum wage and for providing our former Childcare Academy trainees with the opportunity to further their education, escape the poverty trap and progress towards earning a ‘Living Wage’.
We have delivered a number of ‘information sessions’ to staff members of State Streets ‘UK Families Network’ in relation to ‘the safety of the home environment for children’ and we are in the process of exploring the possibility of delivering some ‘First Aid’ workshops to members in the near future. We are extremely grateful for the on-going support of our local State Street and we look forward to a long, prosperous and mutually beneficial partnership between our organisations.
Gill Dudgeon, North Edinburgh Childcare
