Work experience at Coastline
Coastline provides work experience opportunities to individuals who are looking to gain practical experience in a specific field, broader understanding of the world of work or to enhance existing skills. We are committed to providing a safe and supportive environment for all work experience participants.
Why pick housing?
Very few children or young people think ‘I want to work in social housing when I grow up’ but we want to show them that the range of opportunities in the sector are as exciting as being an astronaut or a deep sea diver!
At Coastline we value the contribution of those in our local communities, including students and pupils in the local area who may be our potential, future colleagues. In a sector with scope to work across a range of disciplines, there really is something for everyone.
We recognise the importance of gaining relevant work experience whether this is through school work placements, volunteering, shadowing or other structured opportunities that help expose people to and develop skills within, a workplace or environment.
Participants must meet the following criteria:
- Be at least 14 years of age or a Year 10 student. (parental consent will be required for anyone aged under 18).
- Have enrolled in a relevant course of study at a recognised institution, or have recently completed a relevant course of study. Alternatively, must demonstrate a keen interest in the area they are applying to work in. We will support you to complete a risk assessment before commencing your placement too.
- Have a valid work permit if required to confirm there are no restrictions on working in the UK.
- Meet any additional criteria specified by us for the opportunity you wish to undertake. We will communicate this to you if applicable.
Application process
Formal applications must be made and submitted (e.g. a letter or request from the individual or school). These should be sent to PeopleandCulture@Coastlinehousing.co.uk and must clearly state what team or area of interest, and dates the work experience is being requested for. We appreciate that not all young people will have a clear idea of what area they would like to work in, so welcome queries about the kinds of placements we are able to offer.
Applications will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and may require an interview or additional documentation. You will be advised if this is the case.
The duration and schedule of work experience opportunities will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary depending on the nature of the opportunity, the needs of the organisation and the dates the school, college or individual are requesting. Usually, these will be agreed for 1 week at a time and confirmed in writing
Supervision and support
Work experience participants will be supervised by a designated supervisor or Coastline colleague who will provide guidance and support throughout. This may be a different person each day depending on availability and the needs of each team, particularly if the agreement is on a rolling or rotational basis. Participants will be given access to additional resources and support, as needed which may include our internal systems, intranet, Outlook and Teams functions.
We are committed to providing an inclusive and accessible experience, and welcome applications from those with additional needs or disabilities. We will work with the participant and school/college to ensure that a placement is provided that maximises opportunity to gain experience and skills in line with a participant’s specific needs and abilities.
If you think we can be of assistance, please do get in touch with our PeopleandCulture@Coastlinehousing.co.uk.
