Sarah announced at the weekly young people’s meeting that Stan would be leaving, at the end of the month, in three weeks’ time.

“Well, he’s hardly been here these last few months anyway,” observed Jilly.

“That’s true, but he has been ill, and now he has decided he won’t be coming back,” Sarah responded.

“Staff are always leaving. Do we smell or something?” grumbled Dwain.

“You do”, laughed Abdul.

“So do you, you ……..”

“Watch it”, snapped Vinney.

“OK, calm down”, continued Sarah.

“For a start, it’s not true that staff are always leaving. The last one to leave was Jean and that’s over a year now. I think we are quite lucky in having such a stable staff team.”

“Yer, but I don’t like it when staff leave. It’s as if they don’t really care that much about us and who knows who will be next, even you, Sarah. You could have a baby or something”, said a worried-looking Angi.

“I don’t think so”, laughed Sarah,” not at my age”.

“It is a little sad that Stan is leaving but he is coming back on the 25th so that we can have a bit of a party and say our good byes,” said Vinney.

“ He has been here a few years, and he could be a real laugh. I think we should get him a present,” suggested Abdul.

“That’s a nice idea, Abdul, but I don’t think he would expect much,” observed Sarah.

“How about a tie pin?” said Dwain, with a twinkle in his eye.

“I don’t think he’s even got a tie,” said Abdul.

“I know then. What about a tie pin and a tie?” said Jilly joining in the fun.

“That’s not a bad idea actually”, mused Vinney.

“Anyway”, continued Sarah, “there is another side to this event and that’s we are going to have to find someone to take Stan’s place on the staff team.”

“Oh no, not another new member of staff”, groaned Dwain.

“Get real Dwain, we ain’t had a new staff for years now”, said Abdul.

“But new staff get on my nerves; they’re useless”.

“I think it is fun. I like meeting new people and who knows, he might be great,” chuckled Angi.

“Who says it will be a he?” asked Jilly.

“Fair point, Jilly,” agreed Vinney.

“The point is", continued Sarah, “that we would like you to help us choose Stan’s replacement.

“Yer wot?” asked an open mouthed Dwain.

“Well, my Mum’s boyfriend is looking for a job, but I’m not sure he would want to work here”, said Nickki.

“Don’t worry, Nickki, we are not expecting you to find the people to apply for the job. It will work like this. An advert is going in the paper tomorrow and it will take about three or four weeks before we get back the forms from those who have applied for the job,” Sarah explained.

“I don’t fancy sitting around reading lots of forms”, said Gary.

“That won’t be your problem, Gary. Me and Vinney will look at the forms and see who has got the right experience and training and so on, and then make what we call a short list”.

“You don’t think many will apply then?” asked Abdul.

“A short list means the ones we choose, from all the applicants, to interview. Usually about three or four people. This is where you all come in.”

“What? You want us to apply as well?” quipped Dwain.

“Be sensible, Dwain,” urged Vinney.

“What we would like you to do is to meet all the candidates when they come to visit us before their formal interviews. Vinney will sit in with you and you can all agree what questions you want to ask each of the applicants as they come in, in turn for about fifteen minutes each.”

“What? You mean we can choose the staff, but we won’t know anything about them?” said Jilly, slightly aghast at the idea.

“No, Jilly. Let me make it clear. Firstly we will give you a sheet of paper telling you something about the people you will see - where they have worked before, any special qualifications they might have and so on. But the purpose of you all seeing them is ask them some questions that you agree beforehand, and you ask each of the applicants the same questions.”

“Like ‘Do you support Spurs?’” suggested Dwain.

“Could be,” agreed Vinney, to Dwain’s surprise.

“Then, when you have seen them all, you write down a few comments about them and agree who you think you would choose.”

“What if we can’t agree?” asked Jilly.

“Then you just say how many supported each candidates as being the one to appoint,” responded Sarah.

“And then you appoint both?” asked the ever-alert Dwain.

“What happens next, Dwain, is that Vinney gives me your comments and your choice or choices, and then a few days later we have a formal interview at Head Office conducted by me and Richard.”

“So you could choose someone completely different from us! It seems a waste of time to me,” scoffed Dwain.

“You are right, Dwain, we could choose someone different, because we will have more confidential information than you will have and we are more experienced at asking questions in interviews, but we will also have the benefit of seeing the candidates from your point of view and that should help ensure we have a fuller picture and so make the right choice. And, who knows, it could be someone you think is the right one”.

“Well I’m still not sure but it might be worth a try”, conceded Dwain.

“How about everyone else, are you willing to give it a go?” asked Vinney.

“Go on then”, they all chorused.

“What’s for dinner, I’m starving”, said Angi.