‘Have the confidence to make your dreams and goals come true, never be afraid to ask for help along the way’
says Sophie age 23 who lives in Denbighshire.
Sophie was signposted to ADTRAC, part of Working Denbighshire, to receive support with employability in November 2018. Sophie had been out of work for a while. She had previous roles in cleaning however she wanted to work towards a career in caring role either in a nursery setting or as a care support worker, eventually one day her goal is to work for the NHS.
A tailored action plan was developed with Sophie, this included formulating her CV, looking into suitable training courses and finding a suitable volunteering or work placement opportunities where she could increase her skills. Sophie always attended every 1-1 support appointment held at her local library, she was always punctual and eager to progress.
Relevant training courses were set up for Sophie to attend and opportunities were discussed with her at every appointment. Sophie chose to volunteer at a local parent and toddler group. Sophie’s Outreach and Engagement Officer, Jen Dutton went along with her to introduce her to staff and to make sure it was the correct opportunity for her. Sophie loved it and has been volunteering each week for nearly a year.
Sophie continued to attend 1-1 appointments where she received help to apply for suitable jobs and support with interview preparation. Sophie applied for several job roles without success however she never gave up. It was identified that Sophie required further support with confidence and self-belief, especially at interviews, so a referral was made to our ADTRAC BCUHB Mental Health Practitioner for additional support.
Sophie was informed of the BCUHB work placement programme. This was an ideal opportunity for Sophie and she was keen to start. Sophie was supported through the interview process and was offered a work placement position. Sophie completed BCUHB online e-learning courses as part of the induction which increased her skills.
Sophie started her 6 week placement from February into March 2020 at Glan Clwyd Hospital. She worked three shifts per week to include night and twilight shifts. At the end of her placement, Sophie was informed that she would need to attend further work experience in a community hospital before she would be considered for NHS bank staff. This was a disappointment to Sophie as she had worked so hard, again she didn’t give up!
We then went into lockdown due to Covid-19 in March 2020. Her Outreach and Engagement Officer kept in regular contact with her to inform her of suitable care vacancies but also identifying the risk of being a keyworker at this time. Sophie was still keen to pursue a paid position in a caring role. An opportunity became available with DCC in a residential care home setting. This opportunity was forwarded to Sophie who was keen to find out more details. Sophie was supported to apply for the position and was assisted to prepare for the interview via WhatsApp video call.
Sophie was successful at interview and starts her care support worker role at a residential home in Denbigh in a couple of weeks! This is a huge step for Sophie and such a great achievement after putting in so much hard work to get where she wants to be.
‘I am so grateful for the help from ADTRAC. Jen has helped me a lot, she didn’t give up on me even though sometimes I wanted to. Jen made sure I had everything I needed like gaining the right qualifications, helping me get into volunteering and on a work placement and making sure I had the right information. I would not have half the qualifications or confidence today if it was not for her or the help of ADTRAC. At first I was sceptical about the whole idea of being referred to ADTRAC as I had never heard of them before. I would definitely recommend their support to others as they work hard and make plans that suit you so you can achieve your goals’.
Jen Dutton, Outreach & Engagement Officer said: It’s been a pleasure to support Sophie, I was so excited for her when I heard the news that she was successful. It’s been difficult at times working from home but it’s great to think that we can still provide support which enables participant’s to achieve their goals, all from my dining room table!
Sophie said ‘I am so grateful for the help from ADTRAC. Jen has helped me a lot, she didn’t give up on me even though sometimes I wanted to. Jen made sure I had everything I needed like gaining the right qualifications, helping me get into volunteering and on a work placement and making sure I had the right information. I would not have half the qualifications or confidence today if it was not for her or the help of ADTRAC. At first I was sceptical about the whole idea of being referred to ADTRAC as I had never heard of them before. I would definitely recommend their support to others as they work hard and make plans that suit you so you can achieve your goals’.