The six-week programme designed to give young people a start in decorating
Twenty years ago, John started with a brush, a ladder, and a reputation to build. Today, running John Professional Decorating Services in Hawkinge, Kent, he still believes in the same principles that built his business: show up, work hard, take pride in what you do and earn trust.
Now he is taking that belief one step further – by handing his training approach over to someone else for the first time.
The story behind the Foundation Trade Readiness Programme (FTRP) began years earlier, with one apprentice who had been written off by others.
After struggling with substance misuse and losing direction, the young man found himself with few opportunities. John offered him something simple but powerful: a chance. A brush. A wall to prepare. A standard to meet.
Every day brought real work, real clients and real responsibility. Slowly, the routine of the trade rebuilt something that had been lost – confidence, discipline, pride and purpose.
Today, that apprentice runs his own successful decorating business.
That experience became the foundation for FTRP: a self-funded, one-to-one, six-week programme designed for young people who often find themselves trapped between “no experience” and “no one will give me the chance to gain any”.
Rather than learning only in a classroom, participants train directly on live worksites, working real jobs for real clients under the same standards John holds his own business to.
Every participant leaves with certification, a trade CV, a reference letter, a full portfolio of their work, and a clear plan for their next steps.
Three graduates in, the impact is already clear.
Ole, 17, progressed into college and is now considering a long-term future in the trade. He thanked John for taking him “from work experience to the FTRP programme” and for believing he could achieve more.
Kenzie, 16, began the programme describing himself as “a nervous wreck unsure of myself and lacking confidence”. By the time he completed FTRP, he had received two job offers.
Then there is Warren – an 18-year-old EHCP learner who had struggled to find his place in mainstream education. On a real site, with a job to finish and someone counting on him to finish it well, something changed. His mother later shared how powerful it was to see her son feel valued, capable and proud of work he’d earned the right to do.
The success of FTRP has attracted attention beyond the worksite.
Sojan Joseph MP described it as “precisely the kind of grassroots initiative that deserves to be recognised at a national level”.
Mike Tapp MP personally congratulated graduates through individual letters, praising Ole’s “hard work and dedication” and describing Kenzie’s achievement as “an outstanding accomplishment”.
Families have echoed the same message, with FTRP receiving a 100% recommendation rate. One parent described the difference it had made simply as “amazing”.
Until now, FTRP has been delivered entirely by John alongside running his decorating business, supporting one learner at a time. The programme has operated with enhanced DBS clearance, full public liability insurance and documented safeguarding procedures – ensuring that professional standards remain at its core.
This year marks a major milestone: FTRP’s first pilot delivered by an experienced mentor other than John himself.
The small interior project will test whether the model can succeed beyond its founder, the first step towards potential partnerships with East Kent College and City & Guilds, and towards a future where experienced tradespeople can deliver the FTRP approach to young people across Kent and beyond.
“Twenty years in this trade taught me what a wall done properly looks like,” says John. “FTRP taught me that the same standards – turn up, do the work right and become someone people can trust – can give someone their footing when nothing else has.”
FTRP is now seeking opportunities to work with schools, employers, experienced tradespeople, and organisations in Kent that share its belief that practical skills can change lives.
For information about FTRP, mentoring opportunities, or partnership enquiries, contact 07752025294 (FTRPKent.co.uk)
