North Star go way beyond simply creating homes; they are dedicated to helping people access new opportunities, gain new skills and ultimately build successful futures.
North Star, a North East housing association dedicated to providing affordable housing, investing in communities and developing new homes, believes that bright and talented young people are vital to the long-term success and sustainability of the Tees Valley economy. Their approach to apprenticeships is one example of how they are investing in young people across our region.
Angela Lockwood, Chief Executive at North Star, said: “Increasing the number of apprentices in our organisation has definitely had a positive impact on the way we work, and given lots of young people the chance to take their first steps in what we hope will be long and successful careers.”
North Star has recently taken on three new apprentices, in Customer Services, Finance and Communications.
Tyler Clarke is an apprentice at North Star and believes that the apprenticeship programme they offer is unique; they are investing in people’s futures, not just their business.
“I first came across North Star when I was on the Prince’s Trust programme. I got the opportunity to do a two week work experience placement as part of my course, and it’s then I realised what a great place this would be to work. I was trusted, I was given real responsibility and had a project to complete that helped me develop some really useful skills.
“North Star really pushes to get the best out of you, whether that’s on a two week placement, or in a full time job. The great thing is that it doesn’t matter what job you do, they’ll listen to you, and we all have a chance to feed into the big decisions. They really want to hear your views, and they act on them; you feel like you really can make a difference. And I know at the end of this experience I’ll have enough skills, confidence and experience to progress my career.”
North Star is also involved in a range of employment projects. An example is the Cleveland Ironstone Mining Museum. This project utilises volunteer opportunities at the museum to give people work experience, whilst also supporting them to carry out job searches, improve CVs and undertake training. So far, 11 individuals have gained employment from this project, one has gone into an apprenticeship and 12 have completed accredited training courses. This is a significant achievement for a project based in a remote, rural location.
North Star also supports Actes Work Clubs that operate in Gresham, Middlesbrough, Stockton and Thornaby.
“We think it’s extremely important to engage and work with as many organisations as we can across the region. This is just a snapshot of the work we do, but it shows the real difference it can make to improving employment prospects across the Tees Valley.” Angela Lockwood, Chief Executive.
