Meet the Team - Andrea, our Accommodation & Welfare Officer.

Hello everybody...my name is Andrea Tolson and my role within the Training Partnership is Accommodation & Welfare.  This year has been extremely busy as we have had over 900 students and my task is to find host family accommodation for each and every one of them.

My job entails visiting and inspecting new host applicants and making sure that our students get the best possible experience.  Most host families I visit are lovely people who are happy to let students come and live in their homes and participate in their family lives.  I enjoy meeting the new hosts and chatting with them which helps me decide whether they will be suitable to look after our students.  Sadly I also visit some homes that are unsuitable   but don’t worry, I would never place a student in a home in which I wouldn't be happy to place my own children.

On a daily basis I receive student files from our work placement team and I then have to decide which host would be the most suitable for that particular student.  I base my decision on proximity to the students work placement so that they don’t have too long a journey to work each day.  I also have to consider which friends they want to share with and whether they have any allergies.  It is amazing how many host families have pets and how many students are allergic to animals.  I then have to key all information onto our computer system and produce detailed directions for the student so that they can find their way to work from their host family address.

On a personal note, I am used to dealing with teenagers as I have three of my own, all living at home with me and my husband.  I must say that (like most Mothers), some of the students I meet through the Training Partnership I would happily swap with my own teenagers - sometimes mine can be a nightmare (like most teenagers!).  But then again I was a teenager myself - a long time ago…. Say no more!

The love of my life is my beautiful Golden Retriever “Oscar”.  He is no trouble whatsoever. He does as he is told, doesn't answer back and never asks me for money! When I am not at work there is nothing better than going out at the weekends for long walks along the South Devon Coastal paths and beaches, getting lots of fresh air and enjoying the spectacular scenic views that south Devon has to offer. Afterwards I will cook a delicious dinner and open a nice bottle of Red! Life is good!