The Ready for Work programme helps participants improve their employability skills and chances of gaining employment, whilst driving benefits for the business. Freshfields hosted 11 placements in 2010, with 27% of participants having their placements extended and 45% going on to gain full time employment.
The Story
Freshfields first decided to target homelessness in 2000 because it was something that many of their employees were faced with on a daily basis going to and from work, and because they believe as a firm that they can make a positive contribution towards tackling the issue.
Freshfields’ approach is multi faceted and supports various initiatives to help break the cycle of homelessness. The firm provides pro bono advice to charities and NGOs in the sector, give financial support to homeless organisations and gets involved in numerous team challenges at hostels and centres for homeless people.
The longest running programme is Ready for Work, which was launched in Freshfields’ London office in 2001, with BITC’s Business Action on Homelessness (BAOH).
The Ready for Work programme has three main objectives.
- The first is to improve participants’ job prospects and employability skills. Freshfields provide two weeks work placements, relevant to each individual's skills and interests. At the end of their placement, participants are helped to update their CVs and provided with references.
- The second is to help remove the barriers to employment for homeless people or those at risk of homelessness, build confidence and increase understanding of the workplace through the provision of support, guidance and positive encouragement throughout.
- The final objective is to continue to support the client after their placement. Freshfields staff support clients by acting as job coaches, helping with CV presentation, interview technique, interview preparation and job search techniques.
The programme has top-level support. Senior corporate partner, Philip Richards sits on the board of Business Action on Homelessness and Tim Jones, London Managing Partner, chairs the London Steering Group.
They demonstrate their support for our programme by encouraging employees to volunteer, advocating for the programme internally and externally and engaging with clients during placements.
Success Story
Justice Osei-Gyamfi joined the firm for 4 weeks work experience in 2008. After his placement he was employed by Freshfields and has now been with the company for over three years.
He says: I left the placement feeling confident and good about myself. I stayed in touch with my job coach and volunteered at the Central London Law Centre where I applied the skills I had learned from Freshfields as well as learning other office sills. Freshfields informed me through my job coach about a vacancy at their business centre and that if I applied for the job, my application would be considered. I got the job and as a result I now have a great deal of stability in my life.’
The Business Case
Based on an average starting salary for a business services role at the firm, and the average cost of hiring through an agency, the firm has made significant savings by hiring Ready for Work participants rather than recruiting externally.
One of the key business benefits of our Ready for Work programme is the opportunity for our volunteers to develop their skills and knowledge and gain a sense of achievement. Of last year’s Ready for Work volunteers who responded to our feedback survey:
- 90% benefitted from participating
- 83% better understood issues of homelessness and employability
- 61% gained a sense of achievement
- 56% improved their delegation skills
- 90% felt the project was worthwhile and they contributed to making a difference
- 58% agreed these programmes make people feel good about working for the firm.
