Widening Participation Project Team – Sandwell & West Birmingham NHS Trust Live & Work Programme
The “Live & Work” programme is an award winning partnership programme developed between Sandwell & West Birmingham NHS Trust and West Midlands youth homelessness charity St Basils. The aim of the programme is to provide apprenticeship opportunities and living accommodation within the hospital to young people aged 16 – 24 years old.
On a practical level, young people under 25 years old are housed in the old nurses’ quarters close to Sandwell General Hospital and work on site. If opportune to undertake the apprenticeship programme at City Hospital, apprentices can take advantage of the free shuttle bus to travel to work.
Also, they get food vouchers each day worked and are supported to get a permanent job at the end of the apprenticeship programme. However, any prospective apprentices would need to meet the criteria of St Basils before they can be accepted to undertake the Live and Work programme.
The range of apprenticeship opportunities available include – Business Administration, Customer Care, Building Maintenance, IT, Learning and Development, Pharmacy and Physiotherapy.
Also, the team have been able to create diverse apprenticeship opportunities in collaboration with external organisations for young people. For example, Construction, Hospitality and many more.
Working in the Health & Social Care sector brings many personal rewards.
