A MARKETING graduate has hailed the value of paid internships after his placement enabled him to develop vital workplace skills while helping children secure adoption or foster families.

Teesside University graduate Christopher Goodyear has been brought into the Family Placement Service at Darlington Borough Council to work on a project aimed at increasing the number of people coming forward to consider fostering or adoption.

Using his skills, the 24-year-old was able to overhaul the website as well as giving the unit a Twitter and Facebook presence.

He has also developed campaign materials for National Adoption Week, which runs until Sunday, October 10, and which are being displayed in schools, GPs surgeries and public offices across Darlington borough.

As a result of Mr Goodyear’s work there has been an increase in enquiries to the Family Placement Service, particularly through social media.

Teesside University, which opened its Darlington campus in 2011, works with Foundation for Jobs to secure internship places for young people.

The national award winning Foundation for Jobs, a private/public sector campaign to tackle youth unemployment, led by The Northern Echo, Darlington Borough Council and the Darlington Partnership, views internships and work experience as a vital tool in giving young people practical skills that will help them into work.

About 200 young people in Darlington have benefited since Foundation for Jobs was launched either through graduate internships or Job Centre Plus work experience placements.

Mr Goodyear said: “I have found it a very valuable experience, I had my qualifications but perhaps lacked on the job experience prior to taking up this role.

“I had previously been in a smaller office environment, but in this role I have had to work with different departments such as communications and print and design, working with several people to get something done.

“It has been challenging but I feel more grown up and I am taking on responsibility.

“Rather than being told to do this or do that this role is a case of the team telling me this is what we need to achieve and me going away and coming up with something that enables us to do that.

“It is increased my confidence and I now feel that when I finish my internship I am very confident of securing a job because I now have these skills and experience.

“I feel I can go into an interview and prove what I am capable of.”

Hilary Tillotson, manager of Darlington Borough Council’s Family Placement Service, said:

“We are delighted to have Chris working with us in Family Placement Service helping us with the recruitment of adopters, foster carers and families providing supported lodgings.

“There has been an increase in enquiries and these have been as a result of our new Facebook page and use of Twitter.

“Chris is certainly getting our message out there.”

The family placement service in Darlington can be accessed through Facebook at DBCFamilyPlacement, or Twitter at @DBCFamPla