Youth Employability Productions Presents…

Cover artwork by Georgie Bristow (17) YES Client &

Media Student

FROM SALES ASSISTANT TO EVENTS MANAGER

WINBAG £50 FOR

GIVING US YOUR

VIEWS!

LACEY

TURNER:

“I used to say

to my mum, ‘I

wanna be on

that!’”

SPRING 2015 ISSUE #1

MEET THE TEAM

EDITOR: LEANNA ANSCOMBE ARTWORK: GEORGIE BRISTOW CONTRIBUTORS: LEANNA ANSCOMBE CALLUM ANSCOMBE SABRINA HARLAND DANIELLE D’AVILA AIYSHA D’AVILA TEZZ GOODWIN JOSH EBLETT SHARNA IVESON

CONTENTS

REAL LIFE PAGE 1: Letter From The Editor PAGE 2: #MyStory: Meet Charlotte Mair PAGE 4: YEP Reacts To…The Living Wage PAGE 8: An Interview With An Employability Adviser PAGE 12: Meet Lacey Turner

ADVICE PAGE 3: What Is The Youth Employability Service? PAGE 5 - 6: Staying Smart On A Shoestring PAGE 9: Dear Employable Edith PAGE 13: Mission Employable!

QUIZZES, GAMES & COMPETITIONS PAGE 7: What’s Your Job Search Style? PAGE 10: Quizzes & Games PAGE 11: Win £50!

ABOUT THE ARTIST Georgie grew up in Worthing but moved to Brighton in 2014 to live with her dad. She contacted the Youth Employability Service as she found herself without a college place and was unsure what to do after her move. She met with her adviser who talked to her about her interests, aspirations and options. Georgie talked about her passion for art and photography and with her adviser, they looked at courses available to her locally. They went to visit a few different places before Georgie decided to study media, in order to develop her skills and experience working with a range of different mediums. Whilst studying, Georgie has spent a great deal of her spare time experimenting with fine and digital art, as well as photography. About the piece she created for YEP! Georgie says: “It was a straight from the mind kind of thing; to me, personally, the picture has a lot of different meanings. I've entitled it ‘Distortion’.”

LETTER FROM

LEANNA Hi! Welcome to the first ever YEP! Magazine, which is written by the young people at the Youth Employability Panel. We’re so excited to be bringing you the first edition and really hope you enjoy it – it’s jam packed with fun and useful articles. From our ‘Staying Smart on a Shoestring’ interview clothes guide to our debate about the living wage (you can even bag yourself £50 for giving us your views!) we think we’ve got something for everyone. Enjoy!

Leanna Anscombe - Editor

CHARLOTTE MAIR

FROM SALES ASSISTANT TO EVENTS MANAGER

There’s no denying that Charlotte Mair is an amazing young woman. She runs her own events company, ‘Live & Amplified’, whilst simultaneously studying for a degree - no mean feat for anyone; but at just 18 years old and with a diagnosed bone deficiency, Charlotte’s story is all the more remarkable. Here she tells it, in her own words.

When I left school, I was certain I was going to be a professional dancer. I left with a place at college where I planned to continue training, but just a month into my studies, I was diagnosed with joint hypermobility syndrome and inflammatory arthritis. I was told I would never be able to perform again. Feeling I had no other option, I left college, and found myself a full time job in a shop which was not at all what I had hoped to do. This made me feel quite down and I knew something had to change.

I found out about the Youth Employability Service on Facebook. Some of my friends had worked with Becs and I saw that I had friends in common with her, so I decided to send her a message to see if she could help me. She got back to me really quickly, and we arranged to meet up.

At our first meeting Becs talked to me about my skills and interests, and we talked about all the careers within the performance industry which don’t actually involve performing – I had no idea there were so many! After talking it through, I found that I was really interested in events, and in the same meeting, Becs was able to find me a local course which offered Events Management as an option.

Becs called the college and arranged for us to go and visit right away. I knew it was the right place

for me once I had looked around and luckily they were able to interview me and offer me a space on the spot!

After that, I didn’t look back. I completed my Level 2 at DV8 Brighton and had the opportunity to get involved with all sorts including the Brighton Fringe festival and Kemptown Carnival. I made loads of amazing contacts, and eventually finished the course with a distinction – the highest grade I had ever achieved!

After I had finished the course, Becs helped me again - this time to find the next level Events course so I could continue my studies. We found that Brighton Institute of Modern Music offered my course at level 3, so I applied there and was awarded a place.

I completed my Level 3 qualification this summer, and was awarded enough UCAS points to start a degree – something I had never thought of myself doing before.

I started my degree in September and it’s going great. I feel like I’m learning so much and have a really exciting future ahead of me.

I want to say a big thank you to Becs and the Youth Employability Service for the support they’ve given me – I know it sounds cheesy, but it has literally saved my life!’

You can find out more about Charlotte by watching her on YESTV: www.youtube.com/yestvbrighton Check out Live & Amplified at

www.facebook.com/LiveandAmplifiedBrighton

SUPPORTING YOUNG PEOPLE IN BRIGHTON & HOVE

The Youth Employability Service is Brighton & Hove’s support

service for young people living in the City, aged between 16 – 19

(or up to the age of 25 if you hold a statement of Special

Education Needs) who are not in Education, Employment or

Training.

The service is designed to help you with anything you need to help you create and achieve

your career goals, whether that’s through 1:1 careers guidance with one of our fully qualified careers advisers, or practical support such as CV writing or

interview practice.

There are tonnes of ways of getting hold of us, so if you think you might need a bit of support,

don’t hesitate to get in touch!

I think the support given is amazing and every time I attend the Youth Employability Service I always get what I needed done (Jordan)

email us youthemployabilityservice@brighton-hove.gov.uk call us 01273 294247 facebook us www.facebook.com/yesbrightonhove tweet us @yesbrightonhove

”

“

YEP

REACTS…

According to the Living Wage Commission, the Living Wage is: An hourly rate set independently and updated annually Calculated according to the basic cost of living in the UK The current National Living Wage is £7.85 per hour Employers choose to pay the Living Wage on a voluntary basis The Living Wage enjoys cross party support, with public backing from the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition

BUT WHAT DO OUR PANEL THINK OF THE LIVING WAGE? WE FOUND OUT… Danielle says “It depends how much a business is earning – bigger businesses should be able to afford it but then I suppose they do have bigger outgoings so I’m not sure. People who work nights should definitely be paid more because they are doing unsociable hours. I know that some businesses do this, but not all of them. I think I am for it as I would be able to live much more comfortably if I was getting that rate of pay.” Callum says “I am against the living wage because I think it will make it much harder for people to find work as businesses will expect more if they are paying more – this would not be good for young people who are trying to take the first step on their career ladder.” “It will make it

much harder for

people to find work”

Leanna says “I think maybe the jobs which are skilled – that you have to have qualifications for -should guarantee the living wage. This would encourage people to get trained and qualified if they knew they would be paid more.” Aiysha says “A higher wage would make it a more competitive market which would make it even harder for young people who don’t have experience. I think it would be great for people who are already working, because the minimum wage really isn’t enough, but for unemployed people I feel like it will make it more difficult to get a job.”

Sabrina says “I’m undecided; it’s good if the business can afford it, but maybe not for small businesses, because it would cost too much.” Tezz says “I’d be worried that if they had to pay staff more they may need to lay staff off which wouldn’t be good for anyone. I can see that the idea is really good and it’s very interesting, Brighton is very expensive to live in and it’s pretty much impossible to live here on the minimum wage. I do think businesses can find other ways to save money so that they are able to pay their staff a fair wage – and I don’t think that’s too much to ask.”

What would you like our panel to react to next? Let us know and you could feature in the next edition!

“Brighton is a very

…it’s pretty much on

the minimum wage”

Caroline Lucas, Local MP supports the living Wage campaign

on a

shoestring…

SMART

ASOS ¾ Sleeve Shirt £16

ASOS Parachute High Heels £15

Our team of YEP superstars

having been scouring the streets and the web to track down the

best in wallet friendly wear.

With the Spring Sales well under way – what better time to bag a

bargain and refresh your

interview look?

A Wear Short Sleeve Smart Dress £35

FOR HER All found at www.asos.com

J.D.Y Contrast Edge Collarless Blouse £16

Lily Pad Ballet Flats £12

New Look Flare Suit Trousers £12.99

New Look Half Sleeved Ribbed Turtleneck £6.50

FOR HIM All found at www.asos.com

ASOS Oxford Tie £3 ASOS Smart Chambray Shirt Long Sleeve

Polka Dot £6.50

New Look Chinos Skinny Fit £14.99

New Look Formal Shoes £19.99

ASOS Tie With Placement Check

£3

River Island Trevor Trousers £10

On the High Street

Online fashion not your thing? Fear not! There are plenty of

bargains to be had on the High Street too!

Check out all the hidden

treasures our very own Editor, Leanna uncovered on a trip to

Oxfam in Brighton!

Career Careless, Work Worried or Professionally Perfect? Find out your Job

Search Style by taking the quiz below!

You’ve been out of work for one week. What do you do?

A. Relax and enjoy the time off B. Start applying for work right away C. Panic! What if you can’t find anything?!

You’re applying for a job online, but the application form is really long and you’re struggling. You:

A. Decide it’s too hard and forget about it B. Contact your Employability Adviser for help and

advice C. Try to complete it yourself even though it’s

stressing you out and takes you hours to do

You get a phone call from an employer who wants to give you a telephone interview – but your phone is almost out of battery! What do you do?

A. Hang up, there’s no point doing it if you’re going to get cut off

B. Explain the situation and ask if you could possibly call them back from a landline number

C. You don’t know what to say, so you carry on with the interview and hope your battery lasts

You’ve got an interview tomorrow! But it’s your friend’s birthday tomorrow and you’re supposed to be going out. You decide to:

A. Go out anyway – there’s no way you can let down your friend

B. Call your friend and explain and spend the evening preparing for your interview instead

C. You don’t want to let down your friend but you know you need to be fresh for your interview. So you go out but come home early so you get a good night’s sleep.

Interview day is here! What are you wearing? A. Just your normal clothes, you want to be

comfortable or you’ll be more nervous B. Smart trousers and a smart shirt. You want to

look professional. C. You spend ages trying to decide and lie awake the

night before worrying that you’ve made the wrong choice. In the end you settle for smart trousers and a more casual top so you’re covering all bases.

WHAT'S YOUR JOB

SEARCH STYLE?

Mostly As…

Career careless You don’t take your job search very seriously and figure something will come along eventually. You’re more likely to be found partying with your mates than applying for work and your philosophy is ‘fun comes first’. It’s good to make sure that you keep a balance of working hard and having fun, but it is important that you put effort into finding your perfect career. Why not contact the Youth Employability Service? They can help to keep you motivated!

Mostly Bs…

Professionally perfect You are very hard working and know that if you want to succeed, you will have to work hard! You know the support services that are out there to help you and you know when to use them, and you understand the importance of being a professional. You are able to keep motivated and prioritise looking for work, even when you’d rather be doing other things. You’re doing brilliantly! Keep up the hard work – it will definitely pay off in the end!

Mostly Cs…

Work worried You really want to succeed but your nerves often get the better of you, and sometimes this means you can make not-so-sensible choices. It is normal to feel worried when your future is uncertain – that’s something that the Youth Employability Service can help you with! If you make an appointment, they will be able to create an action plan with you, setting out your next steps in small achievable chunks. Guaranteed to reduce the stress! Give it a go!

MAKING A career OUT OF

CAREERS

Nicky Stranack tells all about her aspirations as a teen, her first job and what it’s like to work for the Youth Employability Service. By Tezz Goodwin & Josh Eblett

So Nicky, tell us – what did you want to be when you left school? Well, I was really into my art so I wanted to be some sort of an artist, maybe working with people from other countries and doing projects like that. What was your first job? My first job was working in Bejam which is now Iceland and I was a Saturday girl at 15. What made you change your career path? Basically, I did an art degree and tried to be an artist and couldn’t make any money, so I got stuck in jobs that I didn’t really enjoy and I didn’t really know where I was going. I did some volunteering with different organisations and then I did a ‘Career Assessment Course’, and on that course I did a test which asked me lots of questions and then gave me a list of jobs that would be suited to me, based on my answers. One of the suggestions was a Careers Adviser, so I looked into that and that’s how I changed my career path! How long have you been an Employability Adviser for the Youth Employability Service? I’ve been a Careers Adviser for 11 years; I was based in a secondary school for nine of them, and then started working with unemployed young people two years ago. What’s the best thing about your job? The fact that I get to support some really amazing young people, seeing them move forward and gaining in confidence. I think lack of confidence often holds young people back; perhaps they’ve had a bad experience at school, so it’s just really rewarding to see them blossom when I am able to support them to find something which they can do

and can be happy in. And what’s the worst thing? I think the lack of opportunities for young people is really difficult. It’s very hard at the moment for young people to get the same opportunities that they would have perhaps been able to access a while ago. I also think that sometimes a lot of people have other things going on in their lives which may be preventing them from going in to work and that can be a real challenge. Do you need any qualifications or training to do your job? Yes, I went and did a year long course to train to be a Careers Adviser, and then, once I was employed, I also completed an NVQ Level 4 in Information, Advice and Guidance. What’s a day in the life of your job like? I organise my own appointments, so I often start my day by checking booked appointments, or perhaps contacting clients to arrange future appointments. I then might meet with young people, either in the office or in a coffee shop, or sometimes at the young person’s home. I have a lead role working with teenage parents as well so I often meet up with them at home with their children. I do a lot of work on Facebook, talking to clients, and providing information about opportunities. A big part of my role is advocating for clients, so I might be calling a college or employer on their behalf. I then have to manage a database, which tracks the work I do, so I have to input any work I’ve done and keep this up to date. So all my days are varied and I’m often out and about – which is nice! What would you say to someone who wants to be an Employability Adviser? I’d say to start out with, go and get some voluntary experience, supporting or mentoring young people. Do some research about opportunities locally – not every city has a Youth Employability Service, and there might be other organisations you could look at doing similar work with, for example, in the voluntary sector or through the Job Centre.

Dealing with a dilemma and not sure what to do? Send me your employability problems and I’ll answer them in the next edition!

What am I doing wrong?! Dear Employability Edith, I prefer to hand out my CV in town than applying for jobs online because it is much quicker and easier. The problem is, I must have handed out 100s by now and I’ve never heard anything back! What am I doing wrong? It’s great that you’ve been handing out your CV, but make sure when you do you ask to speak to the manager and hand it to them, so you know that the right person has seen it. You should always make sure you are well presented – remember first impressions count! As you are handing them out make a note of where you have been and if you have not heard after two weeks, follow it up with a phone call or another visit, again asking for the manager. It would be a good idea to consider doing online application forms; a lot of companies will only recruit that way and you may be missing out on great opportunities. If you are not sure how to apply online, contact the Youth Employability Service and they can help you! Ed ith

I’m super nervous! Dear Employability Edith, I have an interview next week for a job I really want to get but I am super nervous! How can I prepare and how can I make sure I answer their questions well? Well done for getting an interview! There’s a lot you can do to prepare. Research the company so you know as much as possible about them and also research potential questions they may ask you, then, practice answering the questions in a role play with someone who knows you (or your Employability Adviser!). Make sure you get a good night’s sleep and get all you need for the interview prepared the day before. When you are there don’t panic and try not to rush your answers. You can get help preparing for your interview from the Youth Employability Service, so get in touch with them. Good luck!

Making my life a misery :( Dear Employability Edith, I have been thinking about dropping out of college. I’m really struggling with the people on my course who are bullying me and making me dread going in every day. The problem is, I really like the course itself but I can’t carry on like this it is making my life a misery. What should I do? The most important thing you can do is to talk to someone. If you get on well with your tutor or another member of staff let them know. If that is not possible then Student Services at the College will have support staff that can help your. Talk to people at home and they could come in and support you as you talk to staff at college about it. Please seek help and don’t let this situation rob you of your future by leaving the course early.

Having no luck! Dear Employability Edith, I have been trying to find a job for ages but I have had no luck. It seems like everywhere I go people just want someone with experience- but how do I get experience if no one will give me a job in the first place? Help! I would recommend you speak to a Youth Employability Adviser. They can help you look at your all your options. Yes, it can be very frustrating so it might be time to look at how you can make yourself more employable. You could do some voluntary work, a course to boost your skills or an apprenticeship could help you to take that first step into employment.

Send your problems for Employability Edith to solve to yesbrightonhove@brighton-hove.gov.uk

SPAPIRTECHNP

VEIAT MRURICCULU

TPEEARINSHI

Teacher Gardener Solicitor Waiting Staff Cleaner Bar Staff Mechanic Nurse Social Worker Carpenter Administrator Sales Assistant

A R F B H I K M N D A A S C X T W J Y U B Z A J E P S E D T R Q G J A H P T R E K R O W L A I C O S P F A S E Q X J O T E H E U R K G F P M Y D H Y E K L A L C V C R Y K H Y A I L B A R V N K I N C A P I T S E L I M L L I T C S P A R G N A B I X M C S A M E F S H O N E T I H R W Q A C N K A E G C H B L A T H V A A U E V B E A V W Y M I G R A F R P P L C A E B N S R A R W R B L G N C E T S U B T Y R E T U N G F D S C A F K M V S E T U K T S Q W T C H R F B M E R E I C I D W R E N E D R A G N O P Y U P I N E S I N F S T I P I D G I H G F U A L F W E D S A C W N K P T T C A D T K I H W F P U C F P V N M E H S F H M V X A W W R U I M C A U R C A A R J N R A M D H G C W R N O I T C H E R P L A T S A K H K N M I I E P O P M T G Y A E M L E M A S S S K F T I H U Q G L L E L E O E P E E A N I C G G D I M O C M I K N O T N M D O F A P N A B T G N N Y S O L I C I T O R Y T C A D V S E W F X E U I H U T P S A V E T S T I E Z S N C R R E F S H E T K Y H L I P S C L E V A R A P I D P M A E Q D R I V A D M I N I S T R A T O R O N S O A R Y R R C A C N W A M E O O S N M L O I Y G M K W P P U L L W

TEST YOUR METAL

Cryptic Crossword

ANAGRAMS The words below all relate to employability –

can you unscramble them?

WHO AM I? There are four famous entrepreneurs below – can

you figure out who’s who?

Answers:

Anagrams 1. Apprenticeship

2. Curriculum Vitae 3. Traineeship

Who am I?

Hair: Richard Branson Eyes: Mark Zuckerberg

Nose: Simon Cowell Chin: Alan Sugar

`

Want to win a £50 iTunes

Voucher?

Tell us your views!

You’ve read the YEP group’s opinions on the Living Wage over on page 4 - now we

want to hear what you think.

Head over to our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/yesbrightonhove)

and name the panel member you agreed with the most and why, and you’ll be entered into a prize draw to win a £50

iTunes voucher!*

The winner will be announced over Facebook on 01/05/2015

GOOD LUCK!

*Terms and Conditions apply: Competition details form part of these terms & conditions. Entry is open to residents in Brighton & Hove except employees (and their relatives) of the Youth Employability Service (YES) and any other persons associated with the competition. Entrants must be aged 16 or over. Proof of identity and age may be required. All entries must be made directly by the person entering the competition. No responsibility can be accepted for entries lost, delayed or corrupted or due to computer error. The prize is as stated and is not transferable to another individual and no cash or other alternatives will be offered. YES reserve the right to reject entries from entrants not entering into the spirit of the competition. The winner agrees to be named on Facebook. Reasonable efforts will be made to contact the winner. If the winner cannot be contacted, or is unable to comply with these terms and conditions, YES reserves the right to offer the prize to the next eligible entrant drawn at random. Failure to respond and/or provide an address for delivery, or failure to meet the eligibility requirements may result in forfeiture of the prize.

Every issue we explore the career of someone in the spotlight to discover how they got to where they are today. This time, we look at EastEnders actress Lacey Turner, chosen and reported by

Sabrina Harland.

Lacey Turner was born on the 28th of

March 1988 in Edgware, Greater London. She has two younger sisters, Daisy and Lily, and grew up in Hertfordshire with her siblings and parents Bev and Les.

Her home was very close to the BBC television studios in Elstree, where EastEnders is filmed, and it was from here that she decided that her goal was to become an actress.

“From my bedroom window you could see part of the square, and you could hear them all filming at night. I used to say to my mum, ‘I wanna be on that!’”.

At 10 years old, Lacey attended Sylvia Young’s Theatre School, but left after just one year, simply stating that it “wasn’t my cup of tea”. She later revealed that she was bullied at stage school, by children who teased her for being ‘geeky’.

Instead, she attended a local school and acting, singing and dancing lessons in her spare time.

She managed to bag herself a few parts on stage after that, as well as a few adverts - including a Haribo advert - and then landed a small part in 2004’s Worst Witch.

The day after she left school, Lacey finally

character on the show and went through many interesting and emotional storylines, including her portrayal of a battle with bipolar disorder, which saw the number of 18-24 year olds seeking help for the disorder in real life almost double.

Lacey decided to leave the show in 2010. She said:

“I’ll miss Stacey and everyone in Albert Square very much, but the time has come to try something different”.

She later starred in a number of British programmes including ‘Bedlam’, ‘Switch’ and ‘Our Girl’.

In 2014 Lacey announced her return to EastEnders, returning full time in August.

Of her career, Lacey says:

“Finding work is hard; there are so many actors and so few jobs. So I’ve been very lucky to work as much as I have.”

landed her dream part – playing Stacey Slater in the soap EastEnders. At 17, she was the youngest person to ever win a Best Actress Award at the British Soap Awards – a title she went on to achieve another four times!

About her role in the popular soap, Lacey said:

“I always dreamt of being on the show – I can’t believe that I’ve fulfilled my greatest ambition!”

Stacey was a very popular

performances take place in the evenings. Pay: There is no set income for actors. Only the most well established actors earn a high income. Related Careers: Community Arts Worker • Dramatherapist • Stage Manager • Costume Designer • Video Editor • Teacher • TV Production Runner Find out more: nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk

“I used to

say to my

mum, ‘I

wanna be

on

that!’”

CAREER FACTFILE: ACTING

How to get work: Most actors complete professional training at drama school or university. You will also need to spend time getting experience of performing before getting paid work. Hours: Hours may be irregular. Most theatre

EMPLOYABLE Every issue our Mission: Employable detectives put one career under the spotlight. For

Spring they’re getting the low down on the career of a Travel Rep. By Tezz Goodwin & Josh Eblett

Fancy a job which allows you to live and work in your dream destination? Think of yourself as an outgoing person with excellent communication skills? Then a Holiday Representative (often known as a ‘Rep’) job could be for you! What does a Rep do? Rep’s job activities are varied so you’ll need bags of energy and enthusiasm! You could be picking up tourists from the airport, arranging days out and activities, dealing with any incidents such as lost passports or medical issues; giving information about the resort and local attractions and most importantly ensuring that your guests are safe and always having a good time! The summer season runs from April – September, and the winter season (for ski reps) runs from October – December. No 9am – 5pm working hours here – you can expect to work 12 hours a day, 6 days a week – so it’s certainly not for the faint hearted! What could I earn? Reps generally earn between £450 - £525 a month, but there are also opportunities to

earn commission through selling excursions to your tourists. You might also benefit from things like free accommodation, free flights, reduced or free meals and perhaps even reduced holidays from your tour operator! What training do I need? There are no set requirements for working as a rep, but tour operators often ask for at least 4 GCSEs at A – C grades including English and Maths, as well as previous experience in customer service. Applicants who have an industry qualification (such as a BTEC in Travel & Tourism), knowledge of a foreign language and previous administrative experience will find themselves ahead of other applicants when it comes to recruitment. How can I find a Repping job abroad? Check out job sites, particularly those dedicated to travel and tourism. Try e4s.co.uk, seasonworkers.com and gapyear.com. Also try applying directly to tour operators such as TUI Travel, Monarch, Club 18-30, First Choice, Sunsail or Olympic Holidays. Remember, your Employability Adviser can

support you to find a job as a Holiday Rep – just get in touch!