Trailblazing the way: stories from Salford Futures (#3)

Salford Futures is a work experience programme designed to help residents who have been out of work reconnect with employment opportunities. The programme offers tailored support through one-to-one mentoring, employability training, and now paid placements through the Intermediate Labour Market (ILM) scheme. The goal of Salford Futures is to provide the right support at the right time, helping Salford residents to build confidence, develop skills, and take steps toward sustainable employment.

Keane joined the programme after struggling to find work following college. Their placement as a Trainee Library Assistant with Salford Community Leisure has so far given them valuable customer service and employability skills, as well as the routine and confidence to move forward in their career.

Keane

Can you introduce yourself?
My name’s Keane. My job title is Trainee Library Assistant, and I’ve been working across the Salford area, mainly at Pendleton, Walkden, and Height libraries.

What initially motivated you to join the Salford Futures programme, and how did you hear about it?
I heard about it because I was on Universal Credit and going to the Job Centre after leaving college. I was having a hard time finding a job, so they told me about a new programme that helps people get into work. I went there for a couple of weeks, and then I got a phone call saying they’d found some placements that might suit me, and this is the one I chose.

Can you talk about your experience so far and the most valuable skills or lessons you’ve learned?
It’s mainly been about customer service skills, talking with customers and helping them, but also general employability skills. You learn your way around the job and get to meet team members, which has been great.

How is the programme preparing you for employment or further opportunities?
It’s given me a lot of skills I didn’t have before, and it helps when you’ve been out of work for a while like I was. It gives you that routine to help you get back into it, which has been really helpful.

What advice would you give to someone considering a placement like this?
I’d definitely say take it. It’s better than doing nothing for a while, and it’ll help you with later employment. It’s a good foot in the door if you’ve been having trouble finding work.

Keane and Holly

Holly, can you introduce yourself?
My name is Holly Cope. I’m the Library Duty Manager at Pendleton Library.

What motivated you to host a Salford Futures participant, and how did you hear about the programme?
We’ve worked with Salford Futures before. We had one participant who did really well and is now one of our casual staff members, so we were happy to work with them again. When they reached out and asked if we wanted another placement, we said yes, and we were excited to get more people in.

Can you describe the onboarding experience and the support you’ve had from Salford Futures?
This time, Salford Futures reached out with two applicants. They both came to interview, and Keane got the position. We then created the Trainee Library Assistant role for the length of the placement, which is essentially the same as if it had been advertised.

Salford Futures have been really supportive. We have regular monthly meetings, and they send lots of information about events. They’re constantly checking in, Keane has weekly phone calls with Tom, and they check in with both of us regularly.

How has hosting a placement benefited your team or department?
It’s been really great. Having an extra pair of hands is especially helpful when we have lots of activities for kids taking place. It gives us more time to get organised and tackle smaller jobs we’d usually leave, like organising the back room.

It’s also good to get a fresh pair of eyes and a new perspective. When someone new comes in, you see things differently because you can fall into routine and lose focus. Plus, Keane brings shared interests with some customers that other staff might not have, which is great for engagement.

What advice would you give to other managers or employers considering hosting a placement?
I’d encourage them to do it. It’s been really beneficial for us and for Keane. I’d say make the most of the placement, encourage them to ask questions and see your role from their point of view. It’s also great for customers because they get a new point of view and shared interests.

For more information on the Salford Futures programme, email [email protected].