Making a difference in the inner city

When Frances Jones graduated from Clare College, Cambridge, in 2004 with a 2:1 in history she could have chosen a career in law or finance. Instead she talks passionately about her decision to enter the public sector as part of local government's national graduate development programme (NGDP).

Based at the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, Frances is currently working on a community safety project in partnership with local police, youth workers, the drug outreach team and registered social landlords.

"I feel as though I'm at the cutting edge," she says. "Tower Hamlets has a diverse, fascinating population: it's one of the most deprived boroughs in the country but is also home to Canary Wharf. I'm working with a team committed to community cohesion."

Originally from Manchester, where she attended school in the city's Moss Side district, Frances, 25, is no stranger to the challenges facing inner cities. Before signing up for the NGDP, she did stints with a drug action project in Lambeth and for the probation service in Salford and knew early on that a career in local government was right for her.

"I considered the NHS fast-track graduate-scheme and the civil service but was attracted by the opportunity to do more frontline work," she explains. "It sounds a bit worthy but I feel my role is a worthwhile thing to do and believe that by engaging with a community like this you can make a difference."

The national graduate development programme was developed and is managed by the Improvement and Development Agency (IDEA) with the aim of improving capacity and modernising local government. The opportunities for senior managers in local government have grown and the sector recognises the need to develop talent from within.

Frances is one of five recruits in Tower Hamlets and one of 50 graduates nationallyfor whom a two-year programme has been designed to equip them with the skills, experience and the opportunity for personal growth through structured placements and national events.

The NGDP's four main components are an induction event, core placements within a "host" local authority, a mentoring programme and membership of the IDEA Graduate Leadership Academy, which combines a bespoke postgraduate diploma in local government management delivered at Warwick Business School with skills development sessions.

These components are backed by tools and initiatives designed to promote communication and knowledge sharing and ensure participants have the chance to maximise their potential. Frances's placements have taken her from working on corporate policy, to a stint with the drug action team, to project managing in adult social services working in partnership with the local primary care trust on delivering services for older people and those with disabilities.

"I had no guarantee of employment after I finished the scheme but feel I was in a strong position and actually started my role before I had finished the NGDP," she recalls. "Because you move around a lot, you get experience, see a lot and develop a strong network, which helps when you apply for posts.

"I've also had invaluable career guidance from my mentors, one of whom is a service manager in my local authority while the other works for Barnet."

Frances feels she can live " comfortably" on her salary and points out that while her friends who opted for law still had to complete one or two more years' study she worked while studying through the graduate programme.

"I got three days off per quarter to attend courses at Warwick as well as study leave when appropriate," she says. Frances's post is funded via the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund until March 2008 and she remains highly motivated to remain in local government.

www.ngdp.co.uk.

Jobs Week

Now in its third year, Public Sector Jobs Week (from 14-18 May) is designed to be a celebration of the work of public-sector employees and is supported by a partnership of public-sector employer representative organisations, led by the Public Sector People Managers' Association, Tribal and the IDEA.

This year's Public Sector Jobs Week national conference is on Wednesday at the British Library and is themed "Future scanning - what is on the horizon for publicsector employers?" Speakers include Lord Herman Ouseley, past chair of the Commission for Racial Equality, and Tony Travers of the London School of Economics.

There will be workshop sessions on workforce planning, innovative selection tools and techniques, erecruitment and talent pools, digital media and getting more for less in resourcing. The event also provides an opportunity for public sector HR practitioners to network and share good practice. To book a place, visit www.tribalresourcing

.com/publicsector.