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Personal Best

Be the Best

Realise your potential today:
Are you currently unemployed and looking to gain new skills which will improve your chances of getting a job?

The Personal Best Programme is for people who are not in work or education, who would like to gain opportunities to volunteer in their community and at the same time improve their skills and chances of getting a job.

This is a new programme which will provide an enjoyable and flexible way for you to:

  • gain new skills
  • increase your confidence
  • learn better ways to help and deal with people
  • get to know about safety in the workplace and what to do in an emergency
  • work as part of a team
  • take part in volunteering in your local area
  • gain a First Aid Certificate (optional)

Don't just take our word for it...

Here are some of the comments from previous participants on Havering's Personal Best project:

"I learnt and did many great things while on the PB course, meeting and socialising with other people who enjoyed learning and with a goal to better themselves, testing and understanding my skills, putting the best of myself into the Personal Best course" (participant from October 2008 course)
"I enjoyed meeting new people and working as a team. My tutor was very good and explained everything. Nothing was rushed, we all had time to take in a lot of information" (participant from January 2009 course)

Completing the Personal Best course can lead to:

  • an National Open College Network Level 1 qualification (Preparation for Event Volunteering)
  • a better chance of getting a job
  • support to access more training - some of Havering's Personal Best past participants are currently undertaking a Level 2 ICT qualification
  • the chance to become a London 2012 Volunteer

You will be given lots of support both during and after the programme by your Personal Best Advisor. You will have the opportunity to meet your Adviser regularly throughout the course and they will continue to help you look for work, voluntary work and/or further training once the course has finished.

Closer to 2012, those who have successfully completed the Level 1 qualification and applied for a volunteer's role will be offered an interview to become a volunteer at the 2012 Games. It is anticipated that over 20% of all the Games time volunteers will come from the national Personal Best programme.

To be eligible for the project:

  • you need to be either unemployed or economically inactive
  • your highest qualification must be below level 2 (equivalent to 5 GCSEs)
  • you must have sufficient literacy skills to be able to complete the course requirements (this is tested at interview)
  • be resident in Havering. We can refer non-Havering based residents to other Personal Best courses held locally
For the course timetable, please see the Training Diary

For more information about this project please contact

Debby Didsbury or Alison Sargeant on 01708 742881

This programme is funded by the London Development Agency (LDA), the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) and the European Social Fund (ESF).