What we Offer

UNPAID WORK EXPERIENCE IN SHROPSHIRE AND POWYS

AVAILABLE ONLY FOR EUROPEAN NATIONALS (copy identity card/passport page required to confirm nationality)

Available throughout the year for students aged 16 years plus on arrival in UK who have at least average level of English or sufficient enthusiasm to try to speak English and not worry about making mistakes. As school leaving age in UK has now been changed to 17, some employers will not accept trainees unless they are 17 before arrival in UK.

Minimum period is two weeks during the months of June, July and August. Minimum period for other months of the year is one week. Some trainees stay for three months or more as part of their college/university course.

Maximum hours worked are 37 a week. This can include evening and weekend work in some placements, especially within leisure, hotel and restaurants.

Y.E.S. prefer eight weeks to set up placements and this is especially relevant for the months of June, July and August. However, some placements can be set up as quickly as two weeks.

NO SUNDAY ARRIVALS OR DEPARTURES BECAUSE OF LACK OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT.

Representative of Y.E.S. meets all trainees on arrival in Shropshire each Saturday between 16.45 and 17.30 hours. If trainees choose to arrive earlier in Shropshire, they MUST wait at the respective Shropshire railway station. Students are introduced to their hosts at the railway station.

If trainees choose to arrive in Shropshire later than 17.30 hours, they will be expected to take a taxi to their host family AT THEIR OWN EXPENSE – cost between £10-£30 depending upon host family location.

Travel to Shropshire:

EUROLINES AND NATIONAL EXPRESS COACH.

Arrival in London is at London Victoria Coach Station.

There are presently just TWO National Express coaches daily

London-Shropshire which leave around 13.00 and 16.00 hours.

There are presently just TWO National Express coaches daily

Shropshire-London which leave around 08.45 hours and 10.45 hours.

EUROSTAR FROM FRANCE.

Arrives London St Pancras Railway Station.

Trainees transfer to Shropshire by train taking Metro from St Pancras

to Euston Railway Station. Train to Shropshire making change at

Birmingham New Street Railway Station or Crewe Railway station if taking different route. Train travel time is around 4 hours.

BY AIR.

99% of trainees arrive in the UK by air.

London Heathrow, Gatwick or Stansted Airports are not recommended

Because of the journey time to Shropshire and the expense of the transfer from airport to Shropshire. If client chooses to use these airports, they must ensure that they arrive early morning in London so that they can arrive in Shropshire around 17.00 hours. They must additionally book flights from London late afternoon/early evening to give trainee sufficient time to make the transfer from Shropshire.

Birmingham Airport – CLOSEST AIRPORT TO SHROPSHIRE.

Trainees can easily transfer to Shropshire by DIRECT train from Birmingham International Railway Station which is situated at the airport. Travel time to Shropshire is approximately one hour thirty minutes. Clients should book flights arriving late morning/early afternoon to enable trainees to be in Shropshire for 17.00 hours. They should book flights departing Birmingham AFTER 12 NOON to give trainees time to reach the airport from Shropshire. Early morning flights home involve staying overnight at an airport hotel which is not recommended.

Manchester Airport – Travel time to Shropshire is around two hours. The journey is more complicated than arrival in Birmingham as it involves one change of train to reach Shropshire.

Liverpool Airport – Many trainees, especially those travelling from Barcelona, fly in and out of Liverpool Airport with Easyjet. A few fly with Ryanair but their timetables are not always compatible with the needs of young travellers and often require overnight in an airport hotel prior to flying home. Travel time to Shropshire is around two hours. Again the journey is more complicated than arrival in Birmingham as it involves one change of train to reach Shropshire.

Y.E.S. TRY TO LINK STUDENTS AGED 16 TRAVELLING ON THEIR OWN BEFORE THEY LEAVE THEIR OWN COUNTRY TO ENABLE THEM TO TRAVEL TO AND FROM SHROPSHIRE TOGETHER. Clients must appreciate that this is not always possible but Y.E.S. do their best in this regard.

At the present time Y.E.S. work with more than four hundred placement providers which include the following:

Children’s nurseries, primary and secondary schools, museums, hotels, restaurants, equestrian centres, gym and aerobic clubs, retail placements in both large and small shops, tea and coffee shops, farms open to the public, nursing homes and homes for the elderly, sports clubs, pubs for over 18 year olds, garden centres, swimming centres, florists, offices for over 18 year olds, golf clubs for experienced golfers, veterinarian centres, etc., etc.

Y.E.S. are always willing to find other placements to suit a particular client’s requirements.

Completed application form should be sent to Y.E.S. by Email if at all possible.

Copy of identity card/passport page confirming nationality is also required.

Photograph taken recently should be sent and this MUST display excellent presentation as this is forwarded to a prospective placement provider for approval BEFORE trainee is accepted. Clients MUST understand that the photograph submitted is exceptionally important:

Girls – neat and tidy hairstyle, wearing blouse or sweater. No piercings or visible tattoos.

Boys – neat and tidy hairstyle, wearing business shirt and tie. No piercings or visible tattoos.

Y.E.S. obtain suitable placement and hosts living as close as possible to that placement. Most students are able to walk to work but some may need to travel by bus, which is paid for by the trainee. If host offers to drive trainee to and from work rather than student taking a bus, Y.E.S. invoice client for this service.

Y.E.S. send full details of placement and accommodation to client requesting that trainee writes introductory letter to both employer and host. At this time deposit is required – 20% of total cost. Notes on programme are also sent at this time, students and parents of any student under the age of 18 sign a form declaring they have read and understood the notes and return this form to Y.E.S.

Six weeks before arrival Y.E.S. send invoice to client, which is due for payment four weeks before arrival. Payment is made bank to bank IN POUNDS STERLING and full details are given on Y.E.S. invoice.

Client organises travel to Shropshire – sending proposed details to Y.E.S. before tickets are purchased.

Client also arranges travel/medical insurance – sending copy of EU medical card and copy of private medical insurance to Y.E.S. (Clients should note that travelling with just EU medical card does not include repatriation for medical reasons – this can only be covered by taking out private medical insurance.) Everything must be finalised at least four weeks before student arrives.Due to uncertainty surrounding Brexit, YES require private medical insurance to be taken out by client with copy of policy forwarded to YES prior to arrival.

If trainee changes dates after the placement has been confirmed, a supplementary charge of £25.00 will be made and Y.E.S. cannot guarantee that the same placement will be available.

On arrival in Shropshire trainee is given folder containing details of his/her placement, guidelines for his/her stay plus details of the town and area in which he/she will be placed.

All students are visited on a regular basis in their work placement – normally once a week – to check that everything is running smoothly.

Y.E.S. expect all trainees undertaking work experience to be adult enough to liaise THEMSELVES with Y.E.S. Intervention by parents is discouraged UNLESS in an absolute emergency.

Parents of students under the age of eighteen must sign the Parental Declaration Form provided by Y.E.S. in case of medical emergency whilst their son/daughter is in the UK and confirms that Christine and Peter Sower are overall responsible for their child whilst he/she is in Shropshire taking part in a Y.E.S. programme. Any disciplinary matters will be dealt with by Christine and Peter Sower in co-operation with either employer or host and parents would be kept fully informed.

Often trainees come with friends. It is not Y.E.S. policy to place friends/relatives in the same town as the principle of this programme is 100% immersion in English both at work and in leisure time. Friends/relatives are able to meet on Saturdays during the day IF their hosts are agreeable to this.

THE OBJECT OF THIS PROGRAMME IS TO GAIN MAXIMUM BENEFIT FROM BEING TOTALLY IMMERSED IN BOTH THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND BRITISH WAY OF LIFE. IT CAN ONLY SUCCEED IF THE TRAINEE IS PREPARED TO FULLY INTEGRATE INTO BOTH HOST AND WORK ACTIVITIES AND UNDERTAKE ALL TASKS REQUIRED AT THE WORK PLACEMENT. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD HOST BE TREATED AS HOTEL ACCOMMODATION.

PLEASE CONTACT CHRIS SOWER FOR FURTHER DETAILS AND APPLICATION FORM.

AGE 13-15

SCHOOL ATTENDANCE

Attendance at private or state school for students with sufficient English to be able to follow the same classes as UK students of similar age. No special English classes.

STATE SCHOOL: Available throughout the year either as a day pupil living with a host family OR in a school offering residential accommodation. Minimum period is one week.

There is a great demand for short term places in Summer Term and parents are recommended to book well in advance and definitely before Easter.

PRIVATE SCHOOL: Minimum period in a private school is one term with student living in residential accommodation.

There are several very good private schools in Shropshire, some of which will accept students younger than 13. Again early reservation is needed with some schools asking for 12 months notice.

PLEASE CONTACT CHRIS SOWER FOR FURTHER DETAILS AND APPLICATION FORM.