Eleanor scores a full-time role with Reading FC Community Trust through the Kickstart Programme

Gaining a footstep into the professional workplace has been a process that has brought extraneous difficulties for young people, especially during the pandemic. For Eleanor Povey, this was no exception, however, after an opportunity arose with Reading FC Community Trust on a Kickstart placement, Eleanor made a great impression and  has now secured full-time employment there.

After graduating from University, Eleanor found herself struggling with the prospect of long-term unemployment, as she was unable to find a job in an environment, she was comfortable with, during the initial stages of the  pandemic last year. Eleanor’s luck changed upon stumbling across an opportunity to work as an Admin Officer at Reading FC Community Trust within the Kickstart programme.

The Kickstart programme is an initiative to help bring young people claiming universal credit, into the workplace. In recent times due to the pandemic, this has been more necessary than ever to the lives of many young people.

As we approach the last month of 2021, the EFL Trust are delighted that over 477 Kickstarter’s have been employed across our EFL Clubs and Community Organisations, with over 196 vacancies currently available. We are even prouder that over 90% of those young people completing an EFL Trust placement have gone into a positive employability destination such as a new full-time role or apprenticeship.

Eleanor Povey is currently at Reading FC Community Trust and is a shining example of why this programme is perfect in an industry with so many exciting opportunities. Starting her role initially as an Admin Officer, Eleanor gained exposure to a multitude of different areas, enabling her to attain different skills and develop her expertise.

Eleanor talked about her placement at Reading FC Community Trust:

During my role I supported the HR department and Administration team, working on a number of different activities such as: holiday entitlement, sick leave, contracts and staff training. I was also able to be involved in meetings with colleagues from the EFL Trust.”

“I thoroughly enjoy working for Reading FC Community Trust. The generosity and willingness of staff to share information and provide training has enabled me to comfortably take on more responsibility.”

After making an overwhelmingly positive impact, Eleanor was given a full-time role as Governance Lead at Reading FC Community Trust. Eleanor discussed her feelings about securing a full-time role:

I feel very lucky to have secured full-time employment at Reading FC Community Trust. All the staff are incredibly generous with their time and expertise, creating an environment for staff to thrive.”

“I am very grateful for the support and kindness they have shown me. Because of them I feel confident in my abilities to take on more responsibility and to continually develop my professional skillset.”

Eleanor thanked her Kickstart placement for her experiences at Reading FC Community Trust:

“Kickstart has helped me to gain confidence in my abilities through training, support and the opportunity to develop through new experiences. It provides you with an opportunity to increase your professional development by allowing you to undertake training in a chosen area with the support of experienced members of that field.”

With full-time employment secured, Eleanor now has more clarity about her professional career and is on the right path to success.

Click here to find out more about how Kickstart is impacting young people’s lives.