All round support – Sahriye’s story

Sahriye had been unemployed for a year before she joined the Restart Scheme and was referred by her work coach at Jobcentre Plus.

Employment Adviser, Stuart told us: “At her initial appointment, Sahriye arrived at the office and was taken back by the wall of success stories that we have here. This gave her hope and confidence that she too would be able to find a job that would make her happy.

“Sahriye explained how she didn’t have a problem with job applications and was invited to multiple interviews, however she didn’t seem able to get past this stage.”

Stuart worked together with Sahriye to update her CV and ensure it reflected her skills and experience in the way. On completion of several of the in-house workshops, Sahriye felt a new sense of confidence and with her new CV, she began exploring and applying for jobs.

After discussing the support available to Sahriye, Stuart suggested a referral to our Wellbeing for Work team, as Sahriye expressed that she felt she would benefit from counselling sessions to support her mental health.

The Restart Scheme offers employability courses to all participants in-house, that are delivered in a group setting or a one-on-one basis. These courses focus on specific areas for improvement and what some may consider as barriers to employment. Our ESOL courses provide opportunity to improve English language skills to better their chances of finding and settling into work.

“Sahriye attended sessions that focused on ESOL, and during that time her English significantly improved, so much so, she was one of the first participants on the course to find sustainable employment, becoming an inspiration to the rest of the group.

“We were able to prepare Sahriye with mock interviews and vouchers for smart interview clothes. I am thrilled that the team and I were able to support Sahriye into a position of finding sustainable work. Through an employer taster day, Sahriye showed up with confidence, self-awareness, and a positive attitude which attracted the employer and got her the job.” Said Stuart.

Following the good news of her new job, Sahriye shared: My Employment Adviser, Stuart and Skills Trainer, Abilgail really helped to improve my confidence and self-esteem, which empowered me to never give up, so that I was able to grasp with both hands the opportunities presented to me. Thank you both!”