Making a difference - Lee’s story

Lee was referred to the Restart Scheme after being made redundant from his previous role in retail. He met with his Employment Adviser, Jamie, who worked with him to identify what support he needed most with his journey back into work.

“When I joined the Restart Scheme, I was made to feel welcome and listened to, the support they gave was very personal to me. At my first appointment, Jamie and I talked about my barriers to work, some of which were health conditions and learning difficulties. Jamie reassured me that we would spend as long as it takes to prepare and support me back into employment.”

The Restart Scheme provide tailored support to suit individual needs, and personal circumstances. Our support is focused on the barriers of employment, ensuring that we help to find sustainable work that participants will benefit from.

“Together, we discussed my job goals in depth to see where my transferable skills could be used. I decided that a job in administration would be ideal as I have good computer skills. Jamie showed me how to tailor my CV specifically for admin roles, and I even had support with interview techniques too, as it had been a while since I last interviewed.

“Just 13 weeks into my journey with the Restart Scheme, I was offered a job with the NHS as a Directorate Clerk. This come as a surprise, but I was very thankful for the opportunity. My new job will make such a difference to my life and my wellbeing.”

Our Employer Services team work closely with local Recruitment Consultants to source roles that meet local participant needs and skill sets, and each of our offices provide access to job search facilities, PCs, phones, and local job boards with the most up to date jobs.

Once Lee was offered the job, Jamie scheduled some time with him to ensure he was fully prepared with right to work documentation and explain what to expect on his first week back in paid employment.

“The support from the team didn’t end once I received the job offer, and I was further supported into work, with travel costs covered for the first month, and a voucher to buy some new work clothes.

“I am very thankful for the help I received, and I would recommend anyone that is unemployed to take advantage of what they have to offer!”