Curo News

Celebrating World Refugee Day

Thu, 20 Jun 2024 10:49:07 Z

Today is World Refugee Day, the international day honouring people who have been forced to flee. We talk to Ukrainian refugee Vira Niskoromnykh (pictured below), who had to leave her home in 2022.

Vira was a delegate on Curo’s Power Up course, run by Work Wise, our employability and skills service. She was pivotal in Power Up engaging the Ukrainian community in Bath, and is now employed by Curo as an Employability and Skills Coach for the service.

“Refugees are brave people as they have left their comfort zone,” says Vira. “It’s a courageous decision to leave because then you need to start something new.”

Vira first had to leave her home in Donetsk, Ukraine, in 2014 when Russian troops tried to take control of the city. Her family returned in 2017, but she decided to leave with her then 13-year old daughter in February 2022, when it became clear that the Russian invasion was imminent.

“For me, the war started 10 years ago when I first left Donetsk,” she says. “My family and I fled to Kiev but we returned and rebuilt our home and life. I was mentally prepared when we had to leave again in 2022. This meant I was able to help people who were experiencing it for the first time. I could support them to build their resilience and survive.

“I did the Power Up course when I first came to the UK. Then I volunteered for the course and translated for other Ukrainians. Curo’s values of caring, respect, openness, fairness and trust mirror my own. I don’t like to make empty promises, and I always listen to others and treat them with respect.

“I now help refugees learn numeracy and English skills on Work Wise courses. I’m a good example for them because I show that anything is possible. That’s good motivation for them.

“I want people to find their life’s purpose – I can open the door for people, but they need to go through it themselves.”

Are you interested in a career in administration?

Tue, 24 May 2022 10:45:40 Z

Are you aged 19 or older and either not in work or on a low wage? Would you like to learn new skills and move towards a career in administration? Yes? Then read on...

This free two-week Sector-based Work Academy Programme (known as a SWAP) will prepare you for your new career by giving you relevant pre-employment training, a Level 1 Customer Service qualification, work experience and an interview for a live job.

No previous experience is needed.

This SWAP starts on Monday 6 June 2022 and will run from Bath College in the city centre.

To attend, you’ll need to enrol in advance.

To enrol:

Speak to your Work Coach or, if you don’t have one, contact Adult Community Learning at Bath College on 01225 328822 or acl@bathcollege.ac.uk

This SWAP is being run by Bath College with Curo.

High quality work placements see Curo in line for Government award

Thu, 19 May 2022 12:05:43 Z

Pictured: A Curo Kickstarter at a construction taster day in November 2021.

Curo has been shortlisted for an award for our recent successes at helping young people into work through the Government’s Kickstart initiative.

We are finalists in the Department for Work & Pensions (DWP) Exceptional Partnership Awards. The awards recognise employers who demonstrate great collaboration with the DWP, with effective engagement and positive outcomes for young people.

Kickstart provides new jobs for young people who are at risk of long-term unemployment. Curo’s Work Wise team leads on the Kickstart programme at Curo.

Service Manager Ciara Aylett said: “We’re really proud to be shortlisted for this award. The DWP told us that we achieved one of the largest numbers of applicants across Kickstart, and some of the highest levels of satisfaction from candidates and DWP job coaches.

“They also told us that our placements were among the best across the region in terms of quality and the positive impact for job seekers.

“Even those candidates who weren’t accepted onto Curo placements found the quality of advice and support they received helped them with employment prospects elsewhere.

“Thanks to all the Curo teams who assisted Work Wise with making Kickstart such a success and providing so many great opportunities for young people across the region.”

We're now looking forward to further partnership working with the DWP on their new Way To Work recruitment programme.

Find out more about how we're helping local people into new work through Work Wise.

Enter the construction industry

Fri, 25 Mar 2022 11:08:33 Z

There's an exciting opportunity to start a career in construction!

Call 01934 411 147 to book your place.

Get into construction - Information session

Fri, 07 Jan 2022 12:13:57 Z

Are you looking to get into the construction industry?

Curo along with Bath College, the Department for Work and Pensions and construction firm MadiganGill are running a course designed for people aspiring to work in the construction industry.

As well as a guaranteed interview with an employer, successful completion of this course and the CITB test, will qualify you to apply for the CSCS labourers' card which will be paid for.

This course will be running from Monday 17 January 2022. For more information join us for a virtual general information session on Monday 10 January at 2pm.

For more information and to book your place, contact our Workwise Team.

Housebuilding in Lawrence Weston brings opportunities for local people

Fri, 15 Oct 2021 12:31:55 Z

A Lawrence Weston resident is among the newest members of contractor Jehu’s site team at Curo’s The Willows development, in Bristol.

The Willows is a 100% affordable housing development of 57 homes for social and affordable rent and shared ownership. Curo is working with contractor Jehu to deliver the much-needed new homes.

James Beck joined the site team two months ago as labourer and construction traffic marshall for the project. The 34-year-old father-of-three and his family have lived in Lawrence Weston all their lives and their current home is just across the road from the new development site.

James says: “I’ve always been interested in construction and I started working on sites right after I finished school. I really enjoy this line of work and look forward to learning new skills in my current role.

“It’s great to be able to work so close to my home. I saw the job advertised and I thought it can’t get any better, it’s straight across the road from where I live - the shortest commute!”

James believes that employing local people to work in their communities is a win-win situation for everyone. He says: “When you have a busy construction site there can sometimes be some difficulties with things like deliveries of materials. Having a friendly face on site, someone local people recognise and can approach with any comments or suggestions is great because whatever it is, if they tell us, we will do our best to sort it.”

James’ current goals include gaining some further construction qualifications. He says: “The teams here at Jehu and Curo are very supportive. In the long term, I would like to become a site manager myself and I know that with this job there are opportunities, training and support for this.”

James was offered a permanent role with contractor Jehu and will continue to work alongside the team after the construction at The Willows is completed.

Read more about The Willows development in our contractor's latest construction newsletter here.

Want to find out more about the future shared ownership homes at The Willows? Visit our sales website to register your interest.

New Year, New Job? Need some work experience?

Mon, 06 Jan 2020 08:00:00 Z

We’ve got some work placements available to people living in Curo properties and would love to fill as many of them as possible in the New Year.

A number of these are within Curo. Some are with other great local employers.

We need people with some basic admin skills who would like to develop and build confidence in the work place with the guidance of an experienced mentor. If you don’t have enough skills, don’t worry. We can help you develop them and get you access to training opportunities at Bath College - for example through Computers for Work.

Why take a work placement?

You get valuable work experience to put on your CV.
You'll get a reference from your employer at the end.
And you'll get an accreditation through Weston College - this means that while on the placement you'll complete NVQ units or other certified qualifications.

These work placements are unpaid and best suited to people who are unemployed and claiming some kind of benefit, who are looking to build up their recent work experience but perhaps need a bit of support along the way. They're open to people of any age.

If you're interested or want more information, all you have to do is send an email to workwise@curo-group.co.uk with your name and contact details. Someone from our team will contact you. Alternatively, fill in our quick form here.

Free support to make your future bright

Thu, 05 Sep 2019 08:00:00 Z

Good news! You could get free career advice, training and support to develop your skills and increase your income with Future Bright. This free service supports tenants with:

one-to-one career coaching to suit you
personal budget to cover costs like training, equipment and additional childcare
support to connect you to other free services

Succeeding with Future Bright is as easy as 1, 2, 3:

Get in touch: Call 01225 395555 or email future.bright@bathnes.gov.uk to find out more and sign up.
Make a plan: Meet your personal career coach and create an action plan together to achieve your goals.
Succeed together: Your coach will be with you every step of the way to success.

Future Bright is open to all residents in Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol and South Gloucestershire, aged 19 and over who are in paid work and receive in-work benefits or tax credits.

“I’ve been working with my Future Bright coach to identify potential jobs. I’m enrolling on a computer course and am looking at doing some voluntary work to boost my confidence and my CV. I now feel I can achieve my goal to improve my career prospects and pay.” Sue Manning (pictured), Bath.

The service is managed by the West of England Combined Authority and delivered by your local council.

Get in touch today to take the next step and make your Future Bright.

Also check out Curo's Work Wise service for more ways we can help you into work, training, or boost your income through new employment.

Why become a Curo apprentice? Hear from someone who was...

Thu, 02 May 2019 12:29:56 Z

Daniel Mead joined Curo as an apprentice working in our house-building team. Having successfully completed his apprenticeship, he's now a Construction Administrator. We asked Daniel about his experience as a Curo apprentice.

The 14-month apprenticeship really helped shape me as a person. I've gained confidence, learned time-management skills, developed the ability to work in teams, absorbed extensive knowledge of the company and much more, all while making new friends along the way.

I've certainly learned more than I ever expected. I now have the knowledge to confidently complete tasks in an office environment and take on new challenges and events, whether that's working independently or in groups.

The weeks are always varied so you'll never find yourself doing the same things every day. Each week you will set the time to complete the college work set by your assessor... and keep above your targets! Whenever you have spare time you're encouraged to learn new information by signing up for Curo's learn-over-lunches, training and site visits to help build your knowledge and your profile across the organisation.

If an apprenticeship with Curo sounds like your cup of tea, register for job alerts to hear about every new apprenticeship as well as other vacancies as they arise.

Curo Apprenticeships - the perfect career launchpad

Thu, 02 May 2019 12:29:56 Z

An apprenticeship means you can earn while you learn in a way that's best suited to you. An apprenticeship with Curo is also the perfect career launch pad as Ellen Symonds and Beth Maggs, who both started their Curo careers as apprentices, explain...

"Joining Curo in 2016 as an apprentice was a great opportunity for me," says Ellen, who is now a Construction Administrator. "I wanted to be able to gain experience in an office environment and build on my skills, which I've definitely been able to do. Curo is a great company to work for and I've been able to use my skills and knowledge to progress on to permanent roles within the business.

"I would recommend an apprenticeship in Business Administration to anyone interested in building on their skills, while learning and working."

Ellen's comments are echoed by Beth who has progressed to the position of Senior Customer Care Coordinator having started as an apprentice: “Working at Curo as an apprentice was definitely a great move for me. I’ve been able to refresh my business administration knowledge and move on to permanent roles. I would recommend this to anyone: being able to build up skills while still learning and working with a great team of people.”

Find out more about apprenticeships with Curo, or see what's available right now.

£9,000 scholarship helping local people go to university

Mon, 11 Mar 2019 08:00:00 Z

Every year the Curo Scholarship enables another Curo resident to go to university or continue their studies. The award, worth £9,000 over three years, is there to help Curo customers access degree-level education.

Curo Employability Services Manager Sarah Davies said: “The Curo Scholarship is part of our Work Wise service that’s helping people into work and training in a multitude of ways. The award comes with no strings attached – our scholars can study anything they like and there’s no expectation that they enter a specific line of work.”

The scholarship is also open to people already at university, like 19-year-old Eren Balkir who is reading International Relations and History at the London School of Economics.

“I’m the first in my family to go to university,” said Eren, “but it was never a difficult choice for me personally. I was well-read as a kid and academically-minded at school. My father had always emphasised to me, as someone who had left school very young, that education was the key to life, and opened doors that were shut to people like him.

“My mum told me about the scholarship and badgered me to apply. She’s a Curo housing tenant in Combe Down. I was already half-way through my first year at the London School of Economics when I applied for the scholarship. Living in London is very expensive, and the extra money the scholarship gives makes a real difference.

“The money has allowed me to do more activities that I couldn’t have if my budget was as constrained. London has so much on offer, from various cultural festivals, museums, society events and sports, but a lot of these opportunities cost a fair amount.

“I bought a bus pass with the money and that’s encouraged me to go around the city more, and books for my course. It has also allowed me to plan for my upcoming Exchange year abroad, things like flights and accommodation.”

If you’re planning to go to university this year, or are already taking a degree, find out more about the Curo Scholarship at www.curo-group.co.uk/scholarship.

Pictured: Eren Balkir, back-left, taking part in a RAG fundraising event at London School of Economics where he is a Curo scholar.

Placement is ticket to a new career

Thu, 21 Feb 2019 14:35:59 Z

Michael had worked for most of his adult life on construction sites, but his dream was to use his creative skills in an office-based job. He decided to make the change, researching courses that would help him achieve his ambition.

Michael enrolled at Bath College where he gained maths, English and ICT qualifications and received advice from a recruitment agency which helped him see what steps to take next. Michael realised he needed some on-the-job experience to get started with his new career and put his newly-learned skills into practice.

As a resident with Curo, Michael heard about the housing association’s Accredited Work Placement Programme and saw how the scheme could help him to gain the necessary skills and experience to work in an office-role.

Curo helped Michael to find a placement which gave him the opportunity to brush up his computer skills, get used to working in an office environment and build his confidence.

Michael is coming to the end of his work placement after 10 weeks in the role. He has faced and overcome challenges along the way and learned a great many new skills which promise to serve him well in his new ventures.

“My work placement’s opened my eyes to the world of work,” said Michael. “It’s made me realise that the work I’m doing is what I want to do. I’ve made a good decision in changing my career and I look forward to the future with more confidence.

“I can use a computer with confidence and I know what I want to do and how to go about it. There’s always more to learn but I’m happy with what I’ve achieved so far.”

Find out about our Work Placement Programme here.

Minister sees skills boost at Mulberry Park

Fri, 03 Mar 2017 00:00:00 Z

Housing Minister Gavin Barwell saw how local people are benefitting from skills and employment opportunities at Mulberry Park today. Housing association Curo is working with local partners to deliver training and jobs alongside new much-needed homes at its landmark development in Bath.

The Housing Minister visited the Mulberry Park site with local MP Ben Howlett and Council leader Tim Warren.

On the visit, Gavin Barwell MP met several local people who are completing work placements and apprenticeships at Mulberry Park. Nick Hoskins has just successfully secured an apprenticeship with carpentry contractor ProCarpentry and Bradley Bush is on Curo’s graduate programme. Curo is also providing accredited work placements through an innovative partnership with Bath College and local construction firms that gives participants the opportunity to get work experience while gaining an accredited qualification.

Curo is also creating apprenticeship opportunities at Mulberry Park and across its housing and support organisation. By 2020, Curo aims to deliver 100 work and educational placements, 70 jobs with training and 15 apprenticeships at Mulberry Park.

Construction skills

Construction is a growth sector for the West of England, with major projects including Hinkley Point nuclear station and the newly announced Dyson research and development centre in Wiltshire in the pipeline. A skilled local workforce is key to delivery of these major projects, and to B&NES Council’s target to build more than 12,000 new homes across the Bath area by 2029.

Housing and Planning Minister Gavin Barwell said: “It’s been great to visit the Mulberry Park development – it reflects the ambitious vision set out in our Housing White Paper.

“Our lasting reforms will help to get more of the right homes built in the right places. This challenge cannot be met by government alone, so we want to work together with developers to deliver innovative housing developments. It’s all part of our plan to help make sure the housing market works for everyone.”

Curo Chief Executive, Victor da Cunha said: “We’re proud to be delivering on our social mission here at Mulberry Park. Alongside the beautiful new homes, this development is making such a vital contribution to the local economy - with outstanding community facilities and beautiful open spaces and fantastic training and employment for residents.”

Local MP Ben Howlett added: ““I am delighted at the speed of progress in building new homes at Mulberry Park. We urgently need more houses here in Bath and I have been most impressed by Curo’s ability to bring this project forward.

I was also delighted to meet the apprentices on site, and commend Curo on their investment in constructions skills which are again needed to ensure further infrastructure projects such as this can proceed here and elsewhere in the South West.”

Delivering new homes

Mulberry Park is a major scheme, being built by housing association Curo. The development of the brownfield site will deliver 700 high quality, energy efficient homes – of which 30% will be affordable housing - a new primary school and nursery, a community hub, a park and public open spaces. During the development, the local economy will benefit from construction jobs, apprenticeships and training opportunities.

The development at Mulberry Park has received support from central government’s Housing Zone initiative, designed to accelerate house building.

Construction progress

On site, Gavin Barwell MP saw the progress towards completing the first new homes at Mulberry Park, just 24 months after Curo secured full planning consent. Built using traditional construction methods and local materials including Bath stone, the first homes will be ready for residents to move into in Spring 2017.

National status

Mulberry Park, alongside the proposed regeneration of the Foxhill estate, was designated as a Housing Zone by central government in 2015. In October 2016, B&NES Council approved a Charter setting out its shared ambitions for the Housing Zone with Curo and the local community.

Victor da Cunha said “The Foxhill Housing Zone is a scheme of national and local significance. The support we are receiving from the government and the council has been invaluable to create new homes and a long term sustainable future for Foxhill.”

Pictured, l-r: Bradley Bush (Curo Graduate), Gavin Barwell MP (Housing Minister) and Nick Hoskins (carpentry Apprentice).

Local MP sees new homes progress at Mulberry Park

Thu, 29 Dec 2016 00:00:00 Z

Bath MP Ben Howlett visited Curo’s flagship development at Mulberry Park this month to see the housing association’s progress in delivering much-needed new homes for the city.

The local MP was accompanied on the site visit by B&NES Council leader Tim Warren and Curo Chief Executive Victor da Cunha.

Mulberry Park is a major investment by housing and support organisation, Curo. The development of the brownfield site will deliver 700 high quality, energy efficient homes – of which 30% will be affordable housing - a new primary school and nursery, a community hub, a park and public open spaces. During the development, the local economy will benefit from construction jobs, apprenticeships and training opportunities.

On site, Ben Howlett MP saw the new townhouses that will line the central avenue into the scheme, built using local materials including Bath stone. The roofs have been completed on several of the new homes and the first residents will move into new homes at Mulberry Park in Spring 2017.

Ben Howlett MP said: “It was great to visit Mulberry Park today and see the impressive progress on site. These new homes will provide opportunities for many people wishing to get on the housing ladder and bring back into use a formerly derelict brownfield site.”

Mulberry Park will make a significant contribution to meeting the need for more than 12,000 new homes across the Bath area by 2029, identified in the council’s core strategy.

Affordable homes for local families

30% of the new homes at Mulberry Park will be for social rent or shared ownership. Curo is delivering these affordable homes without any central government grant, reinvesting the profits generated by selling homes on the open market.

Curo Chief Executive, Victor da Cunha said: “We’re a business with a social mission at its heart, committed to providing affordable housing in Bath. As a registered charity and social landlord, we deliver profit for purpose. We build and sell homes, but unlike a private developer we don’t distribute the profits to shareholders; instead, we reinvest the funds in providing more affordable homes for local families. We’re working with and investing in the neighbourhood for the long term to provide warm, secure homes, outstanding community facilities and open spaces to residents in Mulberry Park and Foxhill for the benefit of the whole area.”

Community benefits

On the visit, Ben Howlett MP saw the spot where The Beacon will be built. The £10M community hub, primary school and nursery is ten times larger than the requirement set out in the planning consent and is being funded by Curo. It is due to open in 2018.

The local MP also had the opportunity to meet one of the apprentices working on site. Engineering apprentice, Kieran has been gaining valuable experience working on Curo construction sites at Devizes and Mulberry Park. Together with apprenticeships, Curo is also providing work placements and educational placements with Bath College and our contractors, and offering employability support to local people.

National status

Victor da Cunha said “The Foxhill Housing Zone is a scheme of national and local significance. We’re delighted that the first new homes as part of that scheme are nearing completion. We look forward to continuing to work with our partners to create new homes and a long term sustainable future for Foxhill.”