North East Charity Backs Local Talent
08 October 2009
A Northumberland social enterprise is reaping the benefits of its support of local talent - and is urging the region's other employers to follow suit.
DAWN Advice, whose qualified experts offer free advice and support on a range of issues such as housing, financial and legal matters, has just handed its first ever legal training contract.
James Charlton, 30, a former hotelier from Amble in Northumberland, with a degree in Business Studies from Durham, joined DAWN in March 2007 and the organisation supported him while he studied towards his Legal Practice Certificate (LPC) at Northumbria University.
He has now finished his course and has been offered a full-time training contract at DAWN, which chief executive Liz Chadwick said is incredibly rare.
"We are really breaking new ground here as not-for-profit organisations like ours are rarely in a position to offer training contracts," she said.
"James used to run a hotel in the area and has a wealth of experience at dealing with people. With no universities here, Northumberland loses a lot of its best talent as people move away to study and don't return.
"DAWN supports skilled professionals by offering training and support - by offering James this position, we have been able to keep a talented person living and working in the area.
"His enthusiasm for helping people really shone through and we were delighted to offer him the first training contract in the history of DAWN Advice."
James said he was delighted with the opportunity to develop his lifelong interest in legal advice. As part of his work, he will be specialising in family and housing law, which will include attending family court, handling Emergency Applications for Occupation and Non Molestation Orders.
"Working at DAWN really boosted my interest in community legal aid. I am so grateful for the chance to develop my legal career here - you can really see the value in what DAWN does," he added.
"I would rather do something I enjoyed and this gives me the opportunity to do that, while helping DAWN to provide an invaluable service for people who need us most, throughout the region and beyond."
DAWN Advice offers free, confidential and independent advice to people across the region and nationally on issues relating to housing, debt, employment, welfare benefits and family law.
Established in 1998, DAWN Advice is a social enterprise and a member of the UK's largest network of free, advice-providing organisations, adviceuk and will now become a Member of the National Association of Citizen's Advice Bureau.