Restart Scheme
Megan* had been unemployed since 2009 when she worked as a Retail Assistant. Due to this long-term period of unemployment, Megan was suffering from severe confidence and anxiety issues when she joined the Restart Scheme in November 2021. She also lacked the skills to use a computer independently, which presented an issue when job searching.
From the first meeting with her Restart Scheme Job Coach Josh, they determined what industries Megan was interested in and her barriers to work. Josh acknowledged Megan had previously worked in the Retail and Care sectors and she could really benefit from undertaking courses that would refresh her skills in these areas. Josh also supported Megan with the lack of confidence and anxiety she displayed in the initial meeting.
During the next few appointments, Josh continued working with Megan on her confidence by introducing her to new people, meeting her outside the office for appointments, looking at courses and tasking her with ‘homework’ such as visiting new places and other similar activities. This resulted in a massive change in Megan’s confidence and mental wellbeing. Over the following months, she felt more at ease and confident chatting to new people, visiting new places, entered into a new relationship and her home life was also improving.
In addition to this, Josh worked with Megan to update her CV to make it more Care-industry specific as this was the field that Megan had previous experience in and had expressed as her preferred sector of employment.
Megan had made great progress with her confidence, and with an updated CV, Josh decided to give job applications a try. Due to Megan struggling to use a computer independently, he helped her to apply for a position at a local Care Provider. It wasn’t long before Megan was offered an interview, however, it had been a very long time since she attended one.
In order to overcome this lack of experience, Josh provided extensive guidance on interview techniques and referred her for a mock interview with an Employer Engagement Officer who provided feedback so that Megan and Josh could work on the areas that needed improvement. Again, this built on Megan’s confidence in her abilities, and after interviewing with the recruiting manager where she bravely discussed her mental health, she was offered a full-time position.
Once Megan had started in her new role, she expressed concerns around getting from client’s house to client’s house in a timely manner which was a requirement of the role. As this was Domiciliary Care, and as all locations were relatively local, Josh suggested acquiring a bicycle that would help her get around quickly and easily. He approached a Shropshire-based charity that offered refurbished bikes to people who are unemployed and they managed to secure a bike for Megan.
Megan is now settled in her new role and many of her anxieties and fears around employment have been overcome. She receives fortnightly phone calls from Josh to ensure she remains in sustainable employment and any potential concerns that may occur can be addressed quickly and resolved.
*pseudonym
