THIRTY young jobseekers in Dorset have refused to let Covid hold them back in kick-starting new careers with local charity, Julia’s House, after joining as part of the Government’s Kickstart employment scheme.

They were given the chance to take on a paid six-month trainee placement at Julia’s House in the charity’s high street shops and retail team, and charity bosses say they’ve already made a big impact. “We’ve been blown away with the dedication and passion that our Kickstarters have shown since joining us in spring,” says Tracy Stanley, Julia’s House Retail Manager.

“They’ve been wonderful with our customers and a real asset behind the scenes in our shops, warehouse and retail office. We feel very lucky to have them on the team and we look forward to seeing their progression over the coming months.”

Kickstarter Jodie Symes, from Hamworthy, was pleased to have the chance to build on her experience when she was offered a Retail Assistant placement at Julia’s House. Since being made redundant in 2019, the 24-year-old has struggled to find a job to fit around her life as a single mum to her young daughter.

“Being a new mum, I found it hard to find something that was flexible around nursery hours and also suited the skills I had learnt from my previous jobs.

“I took on seasonal roles, but I didn’t feel like I was meeting my potential, so I was really thankful when the Kickstart scheme started.”

She added: “I have been a different person since returning back to work and have enjoyed every moment so far at Julia’s House. I love working with people who are proud of the job they do, and I have learnt so much already in just a few weeks, which is all valuable experience I can add to my CV.”

Tracy adds: “We can only keep caring for seriously ill children and families because of the amazing support we get from our local community. It has been a real pleasure to be able to give something back and offer these young people the opportunity to gain valuable skills and experience that will help them in their future careers. We’re hopeful that we can give this opportunity to more young people later this year when these current placements have been completed.”

The Julia’s House shops help to raise vital funds to support the charity’s care for the most seriously ill children and their families across Dorset and Wiltshire. Find your nearest Julia’s House charity shop at www.juliashouse.org