Applicant 

 

1. What does participation in the programme give me?

 

Our programmes are designed to provide the participants with a set of skills and resources that will improve their employability and help them in their job search. They are aimed at giving you improved work skills and cultural awareness, improved self-awareness and improved navigation of the UK job market.

 

 

2. Does participation in the Flagship Programme guarantee me a job?

 

Although we do not guarantee job placements, we will introduce ready candidates to employers we partner with. We also connect the Onpartners with voluntary roles in the private and non-for-profit sectors, which our previous Onpartners have found to be a good opportunity to gain experience and get a foot in the door, with the possibility of it becoming a permanent or a longer term role.

 

 

3. Who are the organisations Onpartu partners with?

 

They are forward-thinking companies that value the untapped pool of talent represented by the experienced, educated and committed individuals that they offer meaningful experience, an opportunity to learn, contribute and expand your professional network.

 

 

4. Do I need to leave my current job to participate in the Flagship Programme?

 

You do not need to leave your job, as the programme is designed so that it can fit around your working hours: face to face training takes place on weekends and the rest can be adapted to your schedule.

 

 

5. How does Onpartu operate?

 

We created an organisation that aims to support many foreign-born women living in the UK with a view to being a self-funding social enterprise. Although it would be much easier to depend fully on grants, from our perspective programmes like ours should not. We work with healthy, bright and willing individuals, so we believe we should not take any unnecessary money away from initiatives that deal with far deeper and more complex issues.

 

 

6. How much does a participant of the Flagship Programme pay?

 

• The participation fee is £500, payable prior to starting the programme. There are no extra charges applied during the programme.

• If you cannot afford to cover the fee at the beginning, it can be paid in 4 monthly instalments of £125. 

• If you cannot pay the fee now, please apply anyway as we will take every case into account and try to offer financial aid in the form of a bursary and/or scholarship.

 

 

7. Does the £500 participation fee cover the whole Flagship Programme running costs?

 

The Onpartu team and its partners invest approximately £5,000 in each participant over the course of the five-month programme. 

 

While all members of the Onpartu team and our external partners have generously donated their time to address an issue that to-date has not been successfully addressed by either governmental or non-governmental initiatives, there is some ongoing cost that we would like the participants to contribute towards called the participant fee as described above.

 

 

8. Why are you offering this opportunity only to women?

 

While we believe in supporting all talented individuals, we have decided to concentrate our attention on foreign-born women who, due to gender-based differences, are more likely than foreign-born men and native women to be underemployed, making them more economically and professionally marginalised and non-integrated into society.

 

 

9. Why is the Flagship Programme divided into these five categories? How did you design it?

 

The programme design is based on extensive research in the field of migrant employability, on the expertise of professionals who work in the fields of diversity, women workplace engagement and underemployment as well as feedback from London-based immigrants who participated in our focus groups.

 

The first training programme in 2015 received highly positive feedback and we continue to work with the Onpartners and experts to maintain and modify it to maximise its value. 

 

 

10. Will I receive a certificate when I complete the training?

 

We will provide a Statement of Accomplishment for individuals that complete all requirements.

 

 

11. What happens after I complete the Flagship Programme – will you help me in my job search?

 

We will assist you with your job search throughout the duration of the programme while equipping you with suitable tools and providing you with the necessary insight to be able to continue the job search on your own after completion of the programme. We will also keep your details on record and connect you with any suitable opportunities that we may have in the future.

 

Once you complete the programme, you will also become a member of the Onpartu community that aims to support our Fellows.

 

 

12. What if my English or other skills are not adequate?

 

We will refer you to other training providers that can help you develop your skills and invite you to re-apply in due course.

 

 

13.  If I do not pass the selection process for the Flagship Programme, can I re-apply in the future?

 

Yes, you can and we will keep you on record if you wish to be contacted again.

 

 

14. Does the Flagship Programme include homework?

 

The work you have to do by yourself will include online training components and occasional other assignments. Your mentor will be able to assist you with all the aspects of this but your overall success will depend on your commitment and motivation.

 

 

15. How many hours will I have to dedicate to the Flagship Programme outside of the classroom?

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This will depend on your individual needs but we would expect you to dedicate at least 5 hours per week of your time in addition to the face-to-face training and mentoring.

 

 

16. What support can you offer if I have difficulty with the Flagship Programme content or requirements?

 

You will be getting a lot of help from your personal mentor and also support from your fellow programme participants, as part of the peer-to-peer aspect of the programme.

 

 

17. I live outside of London – can you refund my travel expenses?

 

Unfortunately, we cannot cover any additional expenses.

 

 

18. I have to look after my children on the days of the programme – can I bring them with me?

 

The venues we use do not offer any childcare facilities and due to the intensive nature of the training content, we would require your full attention in class, so we hope that you can find other childcare options.

 

 

19. I like what I have learned so far and would like to recommend it to my friends. Can I invite a friend to join me on some sessions as an observer?

 

Unfortunately, due to the structure and objectives of the Flagship Programme we won’t be able to invite any external audience to any of Onpartu’s training sessions. If you feel your friends may be suitable candidates, please encourage them to attend one of our Modular Programmes or apply the Flagship Programme.

 

 

Employer

 

How can an employer engage with Onpartu?

 

We are always interested to hear from forward-thinking and people-focused organisations looking to learn about innovative ways to reach global talent or keen to provide an exciting and challenging placement for our Onpartners. Please email recruitment@onpartu.co.uk for more information.