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What Employees Think Of Their Social Firm

Employees Explain What Working At Their Social Firm Means To Them

While at the launch of the new Star Social Firm quality mark (www.starsocialfirm.co.uk), in February 2008, some of the employees of the companies receiving the awards shared how they feel about working at their Social Firm.

Employee of Social Firm, Spokes (Bizmatch)

bikes Spokes is a company based in Hereford, Ross and Kidderminster which recovers, renovates and resells previously owned bikes. (www.workmatch.org.uk/bizmatch.htm)

“Before I joined Spokes I worked in horticulture and the marketing of that. Then I was diagnosed with my with a physical disability which sent me from fairly comfortable to skid. This really affected my sense of status.

Bizmatch had set up a project refurbishing and selling bikes but the selling side wasn’t going so well. So they asked me to work on this and I’ve turned the workshop into a very successful one. So they’ve helped me but I’ve also helped them.

The products we sell i.e. recycled bikes are great and some of them are gorgeous. People get very attached to their bikes and they would much rather donate them to us knowing that they will find a good home than send them to landfill. We have built up a great clientele and we see the same bikes coming back again and again as children grow out of them.

This job gives me a great work/life balance, particularly at this time in my life. Also, we are lucky to live and work in a great part of the world. The company is thinking about tapping into the holiday market which would be great and there are lots of other spin off projects too so that would be very interesting for me.

The aim of Bizmatch is to get employees into work; people who lost their way for whatever reason. One colleague who came in once a week told someone else that the one day per week he came into Spokes was the one day he had something worth bothering to get up on time for. So we invited him to come in for two days a week after that.”

We’ve now been awarded the Star Social Firm quality mark (www.starsocialfirm.co.uk). This shows staff they are doing well. It’s really nice to be recognised. It also gives you a sense of what your peers are doing rather than thinking you are the only ones doing this kind of thing.”
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Employee of Social Firm, Haven

Haven Products offers services and solutions to companies looking to outsource their production processes. (www.havenproducts.co.uk)

“I am responsible for getting the orders out and ensuring everything runs well. I look after two supervisors and a team of about 55 people on the shop floor where the whisky cases are assembled and labelled. I was approached by Haven while I was working for a different organisation because they knew I had experience of being a I had never worked with people with disabilities before and have been so impressed with the amount of effort the disabled employees put into their work. They give 110% every day and it is a pleasure working with them. I enjoy supporting my colleagues and seeing the difference working with Haven makes to them so much that I wouldn’t work anywhere else now.

Many of the employees have worked here for a long time, for example, one lady has worked here for 42 years doing different jobs for the company. Giving the staff different tasks and challenges is very important. It has taught everyone that they can do something different and encouraged their sense of self-belief.

The staff are all really pleased that the company has been awarded the Star Social Firm quality mark (www.starsocialfirm.co.uk). It gives us all a sense of ownership and gets everyone excited about things.” 
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Employee of Social Firm, Haven

Haven Products offers services and solutions to companies looking to outsource their production processes. (www.havenproducts.co.uk)

horticulture “I have been with Haven for 24 years. I got the job through the Job Centre. My job is to check that the boxes have been assembled correctly, and I then palletise and label them. I have learning difficulties and while working at Haven my tasks have changed at various times which has really built up my self-confidence. I have really enjoyed getting to know everyone at Haven. I love going in and getting on well with people.”
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Employee of Social Firm, FRAME

Pembrokeshire FRAME provides a community re-use service to individuals or families in need to relieve the effects of poverty and social deprivation. (www.pembrokeshire-frame.org.uk)

“I am a member of the van crew that works on the Pembrokeshire County Council contract for the collection of bulky household items. I have worked there for four years and have a hearing impairment. I started with FRAME as a volunteer and then moved on to a paid job. I've learned how to manually handle the furniture and it's great fun going out on the road a lot and talking to a lot of people and picking up the furniture. I used to do work experience in a video shop. It's definitely better working at FRAME though because we go outside a lot.”
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Employee of Social Firm, FRAME

Pembrokeshire FRAME provides a community re-use service to individuals or families in need to relieve the effects of poverty and social deprivation. (www.pembrokeshire-frame.org.uk)

“I am an administrator for the Pembrokeshire County Council contract for the collection of bulky household items. I ensure that everyone has the right information about what needs to be collected from where.

I was a volunteer at FRAME for 2½ years before taking up full time employment here. A psychiatrist had suggested that I get a voluntary job to help with my self esteem. My husband suggested working at FRAME because of their experience of dealing with people with mental health problems. I lasted only 3 minutes on my first day. But within two years I was working five full days there because they are such great employers. FRAME has done more for me than any medical person ever has. I am a diabetic and have a mental health problem, but at FRAME they treat you like a person not an illness, so you feel like a person. There are first aiders on site but they’ll always ask you how you are, rather than assuming anything about you.

There’s always the opportunity to talk to someone and be listened to, whether you’re a staff member or a volunteer. I would not be back in work if it were not for them. I think the best way to describe what FRAME has done for me is the Westlife song, “You raise me up to more than I can be.” I can’t praise the managers enough.”
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