The Foundation’s Purpose:

We endeavour to train and educate 16-21 year olds who are in problematic situations

Our main aims for the trainees:

• Offering life changing opportunities
• Gaining a second chance at success
• Providing work experience and training to enter trades and the wider employment market

Our requirements of the trainees:

Trainees are committed to learning their chosen trade, and are prepared to adapt to the work ethic and to observe basic standards of behaviour. 

Regular attendance is essential, and if overall attendance levels are not maintained, this can lead to the ending of a trainee’s placement

Our Offer:

• A standard work placement of 3 or up to 6 months during which trainees will have the opportunity to gain basic qualifications and relevant work experience.
• Help in finding a job or an apprenticeship placement near your home, or other suitable next step in life, at the conclusion of the placement

Guidance and help in improving life skills as a part of the residential placement

Working Conditions:

• When all food, accommodation, transport and training costs are put together with the education bursary, a trainee is receiving benefits of £500+ per week
• The educational bursary is £100 per week paid directly into the trainee’s bank account on Friday on the completion of a full week. As outlined above, all living costs while in residential accommodation at the Foundation will be covered by the Foundation, as will public transport costs to and from the Foundation each week
• At the completion of Level 1 & 2 a trainee may be awarded an end of level bonus in the form of an Amazon voucher of up to £300 and £500 respectively
• A range of certified and uncertified courses will be offered which are appropriate to your department including CSCS, basic first aid, manual handling, health and safety
• Time is spent in department through the 6-month placement to practise driving theory and/or food hygiene and/or CSCS
• When they can be arranged (which is not possible due to Covid backlog at present), practical driving lessons will be made available through Level 2, which will be during the working day and paid for by the Foundation. (There is, however, no guarantee trainees will reach the standard or have the opportunity to take or pass the test while at the Foundation) Once in place, if a trainee cannot attend their lesson, it will be passed to the next trainee on the list.
• The costs of courses or test entry such as CSCS, Driving Theory, Chainsaw, Sprayer, and any other work related course will be paid for by the Foundation. However, if the trainee misses the course or test, then the trainee will have to pay. This could mean completely losing the end of level bonus

Appraisal Process:

• Each department has a set of skills, tasks and competencies to complete at each level
• A monthly review is carried out for each trainee in every department beginning one month from the trainee’s start date.
• During Level 1 & 2, a basic theory course is undertaken to enrich and educate as well as ascertain suitability for an extended work placement or our assistance in getting a trainee onto an apprenticeship scheme. This theory work is to be completed outside of work times ie. it is homework. It will be checked at each of the monthly reviews
• A completion of Level 1 review is carried out after 3 calendar months have been completed. At this point the trainee may be awarded a bonus, and/or the placement may be continued. Alternatively, the placement may be ended by either the trainee or the Foundation.

The same process described in the four bullets above continues through the next three months to completion of Level 2 for those trainees who continue in departments.

Updated Nov 2023

We expect you to behave in a respectful and civilised way at the Foundation. Good attitude and behaviour are equally important in the house and at work. Please respect your surroundings and keep them clean & tidy.

The following rules apply to all trainees at the Foundation. They are in place for your own health, safety, welfare and development. Breaking rules will lead to disciplinary measures and may result in your placement being ended:

1. No drugs or alcohol on site. And you must NOT return to site intoxicated at any time. The possession or taking of drugs or other substances (except those prescribed by your own doctor) is prohibited. Random drug tests may take place. (See Drug and Alcohol Policy for more details, sanctions etc.)
2. No offensive weapons of any kind are allowed on site.
3. No criminal activities of any kind will be tolerated.
4. No abuse, bullying or discrimination of any form under any circumstances. This includes intimidation, threatening behaviour and cyberbullying.  
5. No smoking or vaping in any of the buildings, bedrooms, Main House, Coach House or Cottages. You will be suspended, and smoking will usually result in ending of placement.
6. Smoking and vaping is ONLY allowed in the outside allocated smoking areas.
7. Vandalism and damage will be charged.
8. No work boots to be worn in the Main House or Coach House. The boot room in the Main House basement is available for storing and changing footwear.
9. No other trainees are allowed in your bedroom. No trainees from other accommodation are allowed near to or inside Coach House/Cottages. Trainees in Main House & Coach House must not enter other accommodation corridors.
10. No tools allowed in bedrooms, including penknives – do not bring work tools back from work.
11. No personal possessions allowed that have an electrical element or filament e.g. fan heater, toaster, kettle
12. No selling, gambling, lending or borrowing of money or goods or personal items.
13. Your possessions are your responsibility. The Foundation will not accept responsibility for any loss or damage during your placement. When you leave the Foundation, if you do not collect your belongings within one month, they will be disposed of.
14. Main House leisure facilities are available for everyone to use.
15. You are expected to shower and change before dinner in the evenings. Clothing must be worn in all indoor communal areas at all times, this includes a shirt or a vest that goes over the shoulders. Gym wear must be worn in the gym, including a top and trainers.
16. If you go for a walk or leave the site for any appointments, visits etc. you MUST arrange with the House Staff and report to them IN PERSON when you leave & return. With permission from the House Staff, you may go off site to visit with family, guardians or support workers in the evenings between 5.15 – 10.00pm. Anyone coming onto site for you MUST report to House Staff in person.
17. Onsite romantic/sexual relationships are prohibited. This includes cuddling or other prolonged physical contact.
18. Last cigarette is at 10.15pm; in bedrooms/Coach House Lounge at 10.30pm; in your own room by 11pm. Quiet is then expected. Use headphones for TVs, gaming, music, phone calls etc so others can sleep.
19. Motorbikes, mopeds, electric scooters and bicycles are not permitted on site under any circumstances.
20. With permission, you may drive your car to the site. You must hand in your key and there can be no use of the car during the week whatsoever. You are not allowed to give lifts to other trainees to or from the Foundation.
21. You MUST wear a seatbelt when in Foundation vehicles. If you don’t you will receive a Written Warning.
22. All trainees must return to the Foundation before 10:00pm on Sunday evenings.

All trainees must sign-in in person when they arrive on site.

It is your responsibility to check/arrange transport for returning on Sunday. Problems like planned public transport closures are your responsibility to overcome. Any taxis you arrange will come out of your next bursary payment.

In exceptional circumstances it may be impossible for you to return on Sunday. If this is the case, you must contact the house staff as early as possible. Depending on the circumstances, it may or may not be agreed for you to return on Monday. This is at the discretion of the house staff. If it is agreed that you can return on Monday, it is your responsibility to arrive as agreed and any lateness will be treated as per standard disciplinary procedures.

If no contact is made, you are not permitted to turn up Monday morning and must make contact with the Foundation at the earliest opportunity; at which time the situation will be considered.

1. If you are discovered to be selling or distributing illegal drugs on site this will be considered gross misconduct and you will face an instant ending of your placement, and you may be reported to the police.
2. If you are discovered to have used or distributed urine samples, or to be using or distributing any other means of attempting to cheat a drugs test, you will face an instant ending of your placement.
3. Drugs means both illegal drugs and ‘legal highs’.
4. Drugs and alcohol misuse are Health & Safety/safeguarding issues and are not permitted on site whatsoever. Anyone discovered possessing, using, or under the influence of drugs/alcohol on site will not be allowed to continue training or work experience and will be subject to disciplinary measures such as:
   • Possession of alcohol will result in up to a full week suspension i.e. maximum will be from the day of suspension up and until the conclusion of the following full week.
   • Under the influence of alcohol (failing a breathalyser test) may result in further disciplinary measures, such as a longer suspension, depending on the circumstances.
   • Possession of drugs or failing/refusing a drugs test will result in a suspension until such time as you can return and pass a drugs test (up to a maximum of one month).
   • Possession of drugs paraphernalia will be dealt with on a case by case basis and may result in suspension or the same sanction as possession of drugs
   • A repeat offence within two months may result in your placement being ended.
5. You will undergo a drug test on arrival on your first day at The Camelia Botnar Foundation.
6. By joining the Camelia Botnar Foundation as a trainee you are giving permission to be randomly drug tested and/or alcohol tested by any means, at any time while in your placement at the Camelia Botnar Foundation. You are also giving the Foundation a Right to Search your room and property as per no.8.
7. The Foundation occasionally acts as a training centre for Sussex & Surrey Police dogs. On occasion, the dogs and their handlers may, without warning or notice, enter accommodation and workshops to screen for illegal substances.
8. If there is a suspicion that you are using drugs, or under the influence of drugs or alcohol on site, this will be investigated and a search of your room and property may be carried out as per the Foundation’s Right to Search and you may also be tested for drugs or alcohol.
9. Drug and alcohol dependency is considered a health issue and where possible management at The Foundation will try to help and signpost trainees with these problems toward education, healthier lifestyle choices and counselling.
10. For those coming to The Foundation who have acknowledged they have a drug or alcohol problem, we will support you in your attempts to stay clean. Our aim is to help you build a new life and we will endeavour to help you through difficult lifestyle changes, and to be approachable and understanding. However, using these substances on site at the Foundation will always result in disciplinary measures being taken, as outlined above.
11. Because The Foundation is a residential placement, while on site these rules apply whether during or outside typical working hours.
12. Prescription drugs: If your doctor has prescribed you medical treatment in the form of any type of medicine you must:
    • Ensure you are aware of the side effects of the prescription.
    • Ensure the prescription is safe to take whilst operating in your normal working capacity.
    • Advise your line manager or a member of the management team immediately upon receiving your prescription, indicating what the prescription is, what it is for and what any potential side effects are.

Help and support 

The Foundation will endeavour to ensure that advice and help are made available to any trainee who feels they have a problem with alcohol or drug misuse. In the first instance, individuals will be encouraged to seek help from their General Practitioner. 

Under these circumstances and with the trainee’s consent, a referral will be made to the Occupational Health service. It may occasionally be necessary to request that the employee refrains from work temporarily, or undertakes restricted duties to ensure their own safety and that of others. The Foundation may also allow additional time off for employees to obtain treatment or attend support groups. 

Any trainee who seeks the assistance of The Foundation in finding treatment for a drugs or alcohol problem has the Foundation’s complete assurance of confidentiality. 

Some useful links to websites are provided below:

• Alcoholics Anonymous Tel 0845 769 7555 alcoholics–anonymous.org.uk
• ACAD (Advice and Counselling on Alcohol and Drugs) www.acad.org.uk
• FRANK Tel 0300 123 6600 (24 hours) talktofrank.com
• NHS (Information and advice from the National Health Service) nhs.uk

Trainees who successfully complete Level 1 will receive an end of Level 1 Bonus of a £300 Amazon Voucher bonus (no cash alternative).

Trainees who successfully complete Level 2 will receive an end of Level 2 bonus of a £500 Amazon Voucher bonus (no cash alternative).

Disciplinary deductions will apply to the above end of level bonuses as follows:

Lost keys – £10 a duplicate key. Refunded if found and returned.
Late for work – £5 for a late start (before 10am). £10 for a late start (after 10am).

Standard Disciplinaries:

1st offence: verbal warning
(please note next time will be written warning and a £50 deduction from your end of Level bonus)

2nd offence: written warning
(£50 deduction from end of Level bonus will apply)

3rd offence: 1 week’s unpaid suspension
(£100 deduction from end of Level bonus will apply)

Bursary payments are made on a Friday afternoon, subject to your attendance that day.

No payments can be made if you only attend for part of the week (i.e. leaving mid-week).

One week’s unpaid break may be allowed after completing Level 1 and prior to starting Level 2 if necessary.

Disciplinaries issued by House Managers may incur an activity ban penalty as well:

• Written = 1 week ban
• Suspension = 1 week ban (on return)

Other Disciplinaries:

For very serious offences you will face an immediate suspension of up to one month, or termination of your placement depending on the offence. These are things such as (but not limited to) having drugs on site or failing a drugs test, alcohol on site, bullying or other forms of misconduct or serious insubordination.