Our adviser explains how he helped an individual to find employment
Interviewer: What were the person’s circumstances before they joined the programme?
B2B Adviser: Customer status was unemployed and he received Income related Employment and Support Allowance and Personal Independence Payment. He wanted to undertake part- time employment.
Interviewer: Did they have any prior work experience or qualifications?
B2B Adviser: Customer volunteered with charity shops and had a few voluntary work experiences.
Interviewer: How did the person feel about their situation prior to the programme?
B2B Adviser: Customer was lacking confidence and motivation about securing a part time employment prior to the programme.
Interviewer: What were their feelings about work before the programme?
B2B Adviser: Customer was feeling anxious about not being successful getting into a part time job and seriously lack confidence and motivation as he was accompanied by his mother for the first three appointments at Business 2 Business.
Interviewer: What barriers has the person faced to work?
B2B Adviser:
· Learning Disability
· Help and support with building confidence and motivation
· Specialist employment advice and guidance
· In work benefit information/ Permitted work information
· One to one job search support needed
· In work support
Interviewer: How have they overcome each barrier to work they faced?
B2B Adviser:
· Learning Disability - Went to specialist training to develop English/ Maths/ ICT prior to the registration and gained Entry 3 and Level 1 qualification respectively. To begin with the customer participated in most of the interventions with his mother. She is the mentor of the customer supporting his development on the personal level. We discussed the future interventions including employment and health, confidence and motivation, interview skills, job search and job application support, permitted work whilst on ESA, self-employment and given the plan agreed by both customer and his mother.
· Employment options - We discussed key areas began with in work benefits calculations to see how it is going to affect customer in case he undertakes employment choosing different hours of work. Customer then given his choice of part time work to see how he copes with new job. Permitted work whilst on ESA and self-employment discussed. Sign posted customer to a partner organisation to complete business training workshops at with specialist support. Customer’s mother was involved in the discussion. We discussed employment opportunities at Deliveroo, Just Eat, Owl get it, Uber eats. Customer was supported to apply for these opportunities and successful securing part time work at Deliveroo.
· Ongoing support is given to inform DWP about permitted work he undertook at Deliveroo.
Interviewer: What activities has the person carried out on your programme? How did these help?
B2B Adviser: The following activities were carried out at Business 2 Business:
· Confidence and Motivation
· Interview skills
· Self-employment discussion
· Employment and Health
· CV prep and Cover letter
· Information about Permitted Work whilst in receipt of ESA
· In work benefits calculations at 10 hours per week and 16 hours per week
· In work support
Interviewer: Did they find the programme helpful?
B2B Adviser: Yes- They found the provision very helpful.
Interviewer: How would they describe difference the programme has made?
B2B Adviser: It was a collective measure that involved the provision expertise, customer and customer’s mother. Overall, they described it as a positive difference.
Interviewer: How do they feel about their life now?
B2B Adviser: They are feeling confident and positive about their life now.
Interviewer: How do they feel about work following the programme?
B2B Adviser: Customer is happy with the work following the programme and very importantly he is confident about getting out of the house and the extra money topped up. (Permitted hours of work whilst on ESA)
It was really a pleasure to work with the customer and his mother who is very supportive to the customer’s development. This given a greater sense of working with the customer and his mother to help this customer to achieve his goals as a team collectively.
The customer, Tofiq, had to say the following:
I feel more confident and positive of my achievements and I can see the difference because of the provision and support I received from my community Coach.