Swindon Borough Council

Swindon

Val Craft

Manager

Young people are meant to benefit from apprenticeships – but a lot of youngsters in Swindon are doing so without ever becoming apprentices themselves.

That’s because Janusz Bartoszewski is using his own apprenticeship as a Participation Worker at Swindon Borough Council to help other young people participate in society and express their views on things and organisations that affect them.
 
“Being so close in age helps Janusz build relationships with young people,” says Val Craft, his manager on the Young Inspectors Programme.

“They can relate to him because of that.  He knows some of them, which gives them common ground. And he writes the newsletter for the project in terms that are more friendly for the young people we are trying to reach.”

She is full of praise for the support Janusz has been given by City of Bristol College in his apprenticeship.

“Our project is about young people inspecting services that young people can access,” she says. “He helps out in every aspect. He has developed aspects of the programme and delivered them and takes responsibility for young people aged 13 to 19.

“Towards the end of the year I’ll look at placements in the council so he can get some more work experience and look at other jobs he might want to apply for.

“It’s nice to have someone younger in the office environment. He isn’t seen as an apprentice but as part of the team. He doesn’t label himself as an apprentice but is an integral member of the team, and that benefits us.”

Janusz describes his apprenticeship as “a great bit of experience”.

“I love it!” he says. “It’s an alternative education for young people like myself who may be able but struggle to put it down on paper or in exams.

“I’d done my A-levels and a couple of people said that perhaps university wasn’t quite for me at that time. I found I did express myself better doing something more practical. I can always go back to university to do social work, which I plan to do.

“The support I’ve had here has been amazing and City of Bristol College has supported me a lot as well.”

City of Bristol College