Summary
J has progressed from someone who struggled with speaking over the phone and didn’t feel ready for work, to a person who will speak over the phone for a significant length of time and has applied and interviewed for several jobs.
Background / What is …?
J was referred to Communities for Work for help to find employment in the future but he wasn’t sure if he felt ready to enter employment straight away. J has volunteered in the past but has not been employed before. J is economically inactive due to his mental health.
The engagement…
Initially support was focused around exploring options with J and building his confidence. He thought he might like to work towards getting a job in an IT related role but he wasn’t sure exactly which role he would like to work towards. We worked together to explore different options and we researched the entry requirements for different roles. We also discussed the possibility of a voluntary or work placement position to help him build his confidence and experience further. J was eager to move towards employment rather than education so he decided he would like to get a job in administration.
After exploring these options and moving support along at his pace, J felt ready to apply for paid employment. I supported J to complete a covering letter and checked over his C.V. He was invited to interview but unfortunately did not get offered the job. J then applied for another administration role, without support, and was invited to interview. I completed some interview preparation with him over the phone and, although he was not offered the paid role, they were impressed with his performance at the interview so offered him a voluntary role instead. J is currently considering this offer as he is due to interview for an apprenticeship position next week too. J’s confidence has grown and he feels ready to enter the world of work. Initially he found it difficult to talk over the phone but his confidence with this has grown too, as a result of regular phone support from Communities for Work.
Good Practice Shared / Lessons Learned / Outcomes
J now feels work ready and his confidence has grown.