A confident comeback - Delores’s story

After a decade devoted to raising her family, Dolores took a courageous step back into the world of work by joining the Restart Scheme. Although determined to rebuild her career, the length of her time away had left her lacking confidence and unsure how to showcase her skills in today’s competitive job market.

The Restart Scheme offers tailored, one-to-one support to help individuals overcome barriers to employment, whatever their circumstances. Through personalised coaching, skills development and strong employer links, it empowers participants to build confidence and successfully move back into work.

Dolores met regularly with her Employment Adviser, Josh, who worked closely with her to create a clear, personalised action plan focused on securing sustainable employment. Reflecting on her journey, Josh shared:

“Dolores has made excellent progress by fully engaging with the support offered. She completed several of our in-house courses designed to build her confidence, covering CV development, interview techniques and interview confidence. Through tailored guidance and encouragement, Dolores was able to recognise the valuable transferable skills she developed during her time away from work and, importantly, learn how to communicate these effectively to employers.

“A key focus area was building Dolores’ confidence in interview settings, so we arranged some mock interview with the team, and she became more comfortable discussing her experience, strengths and future goals. Her confidence grew significantly and Dolores began approaching applications and interviews with a positive and proactive mindset.”

Our Recruitment Manager, Kayleigh, connected Dolores with a vacancy that had become available with one of our partner employers. The position was for a cleaning role within a retail environment. This immediately appealed to Dolores, as the hours and flexible working pattern aligned well with her family commitments.

The Restart Scheme has strong partnerships with local and national employers, giving participants priority access to a wide range of vacancies. These established relationships enable recruitment teams to match candidates with suitable opportunities quickly, helping participants move into roles that align with their skills, goals and personal circumstances.

With additional support from Josh, including the provision of interview clothing, workwear and help with travel costs, Dolores was able to start her new role with confidence and without financial barriers. By developing her transferable skills, strengthening her interview techniques, and rebuilding her self-confidence, she has set a strong foundation for long-term success.