Young Person Discovers Benefits Of Volunteering
Daniel Holley is one young person who’s discovered the benefits of volunteering as it’s recently helped him secure a full time job.
Daniel, 19 and from Blackwood, spent two days a week volunteering with Caerphilly County Borough Council’s Welsh Housing Quality Standard (WHQS) team where he worked alongside the Communications and Tenant Engagement Officer. Daniel spent around a year doing this, alongside studying at college.
The knowledge and experience Daniel gained through this role recently helped him secure a full time position with Robert Price Builders’ Merchants; the council’s single source supply partner for its £200 million WHQS improvement programme.
Now just over three months into his new role and having successfully completed his probationary period, Daniel said “I really enjoyed the time I spent volunteering with the council. I gained lots of new skills and experience as well as learning lots about the WHQS programme which I believe helped me when I applied to work with Robert Price.”
Daniel currently works in the yard at Robert Price’s Aberbeeg depot; his role includes assembling orders for deliveries and dealing with customers. He added “I’m really enjoying the job and like that I’m still involved with WHQS, as part of my role involves unloading deliveries of the kitchens being fitted in tenants’ homes. I’ve gained lots of new skills since working with Robert Price and also have a forklift license now.”
In 2013 the council appointed Robert Price as their supply partner. This is a 10 year contract to supply materials required for its WHQS improvement programme. This programme will see all council owned homes in the county borough brought up to a specific set of standards by 2020.
Tessa Pike, Director at Robert Price, commented “Daniel has fitted into our team in Aberbeeg very well indeed. His volunteer work with Caerphilly Council gave him a head-start with the WHQS programme aims and familiarised him with some of the key components we supply. He continues to impress with his energy and enthusiasm and eagerness to learn.”
Cllr David Poole, the council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Housing added, “It’s great to hear about motivated, committed young people like Daniel. As well as showing how effective volunteering can be in helping to develop new skills, knowledge and experience, this example also demonstrates the added value being delivered through the council’s WHQS programme.
“The long term partnership arrangement with Robert Price offers significant opportunities to deliver wider benefits for the county borough. Daniel’s story is one example of how this is being achieved through jobs and training opportunities for local people.”
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