Championing success with the Ambition team

The Ambition team is celebrating the success of Hoyland-based tenant Chamara Weerasinghege who was keen to get into employment after a fascinating sporting career.

In Sri Lanka, Chamara was a successful wrestler who competed in the Commonwealth Games and was national champion for eight years running. Now living in Hoyland, Chamara was keen to get back into full-time work and supporting his family.

Ambition coach Lisa visited the family in their home and introduced them to local amenities including the library, leisure centre, and community shop.

Spending time getting to know Chamara and developing his skills, Lisa was able to support him to access a four week ‘Gateway to Construction’ course in Doncaster, attend Barnsley Council’s job club run by their Employability Champions, and ultimately gain full-time employment at Freshpak.

The team takes a holistic approach to employability by not only helping participants to develop their skills and gain qualifications but also accessing activities and resources to help with confidence, health, and wellbeing.

As well as finding a new job suitable for the family’s circumstances, Chamara was able to apply for month-long use of an e-bike from Barnsley Bike Works as part of its E-bike loan scheme. Meanwhile seven-year-old son Dinujaya joined a local football team and immediately started winning trophies, following in the footsteps of his hero Christiano Ronaldo!

If you, or someone you know could benefit from working with the Ambition team to grow your confidence and find work, there's more information on our dedicated webpage here, get in touch by emailing workandskills@berneslaihomes.co.uk or phone 01226 787878 during office hours and ask for the Ambition team. We'll need your name and contact details.