Wellbeing first – Lyndsey’s story

When Lyndsey joined the Restart Scheme, delivered by our supply chain partner – Triage, she was attending rehabilitation following a stroke that she had two years prior. Lyndsey’s focus was to find sustainable employment that would give her financial security and motivation.

The Restart Scheme provides comprehensive wellbeing support to help participants overcome any personal barriers that may prevent them from finding and sustaining employment.

Lyndsey told us: “My anxiety was through the roof, as I didn’t know what to expect. I sat with my Employment Adviser Tracey, who put me at ease as she was so welcoming and understanding.

“During my first appointment, we discussed career opportunities and my limitations with mobility. I enrolled onto wellbeing sessions for additional support where I met Lucy, my Wellbeing Adviser.

“Lucy provided me with coping mechanisms for my anxiety, and she helped with a referral for Teesside Stroke Club. As a result of attending the Stroke Club sessions, I found a reason to move forward and was motivated to start using my walking aid less as I really wanted to get back into work.”

By addressing issues such as confidence, mental health, physical health, and daily routine, the programme ensures individuals are better prepared and in the right mindset to transition smoothly into working life. This holistic approach enables participants to build resilience, develop positive habits, and move forward with greater readiness for long-term employment success.

“After 12 weeks of wellbeing support, and several in-house courses with Tracey, my confidence really improved. I discussed next steps on my job search with Tracey, identifying my transferable skills, and exploring roles that I could apply them to. We updated my CV together, and I began applying for jobs.

“It wasn’t long before I secured my first interview through Triage, however, I was unsuccessful. I didn’t let this knock my confidence and Tracey was on hand to support me with the next interview too. We had mock interviews, which really boosted my approach and interview techniques.

“Tracey called me with a job opportunity for a retail store, I explained that I had already applied online, but Tracey said told me that she would speak to their Employer Services team and get them to give me a call. A few days later they called me and invited me to interview!

“I was eager to attend the interview as mentally I was ready to get back into work and into a proper routine. Working with the Restart Scheme really paid off, thanks to their help, I did well in my interview and was offered the job!”