Last month (19 March), charitable social enterprise leisure and libraries operator GLL, received a visit from Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Mel Stride MP who toured Barking Sporthouse and met with two young members of staff from the local community - recruited through the DWP's 'Youth Offer'.

Cordell James, 19, an Extreme Assistant, supports customers accessing the facility’s trampoline park, skatepark and climbing wall – ensuring their visit is safe and fun.

Fatou Jatta, 21, is a Catering Assistant serving tasty snacks and drinks to visitors and catering for childrens’ parties.

The Youth Offer is a national scheme that has got 1,000,000 16-24 year olds on Universal Credit into work – halving youth unemployment since 2010.

GLL employs 11,000 people across England, Wales and Northern Ireland - many of them young people starting their careers in leisure. The diversity of the business – which spans Leisure, Childrens' Centres and Libraries - provides unique career opportunities in the staff-owned co-op and a stake in the business's future with flexible hours to allow for education and care responsibilities.

The visit was generated through the strong relationship between Barking Sporthouse's Assistant Manager James Brown and the local Job Centre which has provided job-ready staff with the right attitude and personality to work in a large and successful customer-facing business.

The Job Centre recommended GLL to DWP as a successful model for tailored work schemes in different areas of the leisure business.

GLL’s Andy Bindon and Lorraine Patrinos met the Job Centre’s Manager and the East London Relationship Manager and promised to deepen this relationship further, to match more talented young jobseekers with leisure roles in future.

Lorraine Patrinos, People Director at GLL said: “GLL is a Real Living Wage employer and Investors in People Gold organisation. Our 30 years success is a reflection of our people.

“We’ve found DWP’s Youth Offer effective in creating a pipeline for recruiting young job seekers from the local community and developing great careers in leisure with a wide range of roles and flexible hours to suit.

“The unique talent and energy contributed by our young staff is seen in the success of our community programmes - getting more people, more active more often and contributing to measurable improvements in health and wellbeing, reported via the £440m raised in social value at GLL last year.”

Andy Bindon, Chief Officer Change and Values at GLL said:  "Young people often experience barriers in finding work – but GLL's purposed, staff-owned business exists to improve opportunities for local communities - whether that's health, wellbeing of employment opportunity.  41% of our colleagues working in Leisure are aged 18 -24.

"We are delighted the DWP has recognised the potential for our organisation to support the local economy and local job seekers through work and the opportunities this provides to individuals and their families."

Barking Sporthouse is seen as the ‘sleeping giant’ of GLL’s owned assets – a superbly appointed facility with state-of-the-art equipment which is finally emerging from the pandemic which badly impacted local employment and damaged workforce pipeline of local talent.

Young people are now assisting the recovery of the business and its setting in the heart of the local community - providing jobs, recreating and opportunity.

Cordell and Fatou - job seekers on Universal Credit - were directed to flexible hours jobs in leisure via their local Job Centre in Barking.

Cordell says: "Using the Job Centre's Work Coach was helpful in guiding my career choice based on my skills and what I enjoy.

"I like the atmosphere and the workforce at Better's Barking Sporthouse and putting smiles on the faces of the people who decide to spend time here.

"The benefits of working are the confidence I have gained within my role and I’m constantly learning new things. I am trained in different areas such as Trampoline Park Reception, children's parties, Clip 'n Climb and Skatepark.

"I am comfortable here, there is an opportunity to progress, stay active and make money all at the same time."

Fatou says:  “I found this job via the Barking Job Centre using their Work Coach who gave me plenty of career advice and helped my write my CV.

"I’ve worked with GLL now in catering for a year - it is my first job.  I enjoy interacting with customers and being able to provide help and support throughout the day.

"I also enjoy making coffee, especially with a latte when the milk comes out creamy I love it, I like attempting to do latte art although I’m not good at it! 

"Working has given me the opportunity to do things for myself and means I'm not depending on my parents for everything.  I can help people and support my family when they need something and it has given me more confidence and experience in the outside world. 

"I want to become a nurse as my career so working in the medical field would be a job I would want to do in the long run."

DWP's Job Centre Relationship Manager Mandi Kehlar said: "We are so pleased to have been able to strengthen our relationship with employer GLL at Barking Sporthouse while helping secure employment for local Job Centre customers - many of whom are young people.

"I'd like to acknowledge Barking and Dagenham College for helping our job seekers gain relevant qualifications in leisure - and our Work Coaches and staff who help customers move closer to employment."

 

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