Success for Housing Champion as they become an employee of Step

A Housing Rights project has had recent success when a volunteer became a paid employee with STEP floating housing support team. 

Gintare was a volunteer on our Housing Rights Housing Champions project. The project aims to increase the availability of high quality housing advice in black minority and ethnic communities, by offering training and placement opportunities to members of these communities.

Gintare, originally from Lithuania, received a housing and interpretation qualification from Housing Rights, before being placed with STEP in Dungannon. Gintare was volunteering for 2 days per week with STEP, over 16 weeks, where she was supported by Charlene McCoy who acted as her placement supervisor. In her role, Gintare was handling range of client issues including helping people complete benefit forms, explaining tenants rights, and handling client meetings with an interpreter present.

The impact Gintare made whilst volunteering there paid off when a maternity cover post became available, and Gintare was successful in getting it. She is now in paid employment for 3 days a week with Step.

I am very sad that the project for me will be over in just a couple of days because it was absolutely brilliant! I met some wonderful people and truly enjoyed every single second of it. I could never thank you enough for letting me be a part of it. This is a huge achievement for me and real evidence that the Housing Champions project really changes peoples lives :)