Good News Story - March 2024 - Paul

Paul Joined RESTART around June 2023. He hadn’t worked for 6 years and was a labourer by trade. Paul had limited Digital skills, no CV and He lived on his own and generally feeling quite low. The RESTART scheme developed Paul a CV to showcase his existing skills and experience & referred him to our Digital Support team for some 121 support. We also provided him with a smart phone to help improve his skills and make him contactable to employers. 

In September, unfortunately Paul was sanctioned due to missing something on his journal as he struggles with digital skills. We referred him to our Local Welfare provision for help with food banks who were able to support him for 4 weeks. We made his work coach aware of his struggles and helped Paul by setting him up on regular group sessions for job search, IWORKS and interview techniques. 

Regular group sessions and regular personalised appointments upped Paul’s mood and improved his Mental health greatly overall. We discussed his progress regularly, and he felt having regular appointments provided purpose and focus for him. He faced feedback from employers that his previous experience was high end and they felt he may leave. New cover letters displayed his career change and willingness to transfer his skills to a new trade. And better off Calculations were able to show Paul what he needs to be better off in work. While digital skills continued to be a barrier, Paul is now attending weekly sessions within the Workshop to help him to keep learning and develop those digital skills for life.

We saw an advert for Glendale as a Grounds Maintenance Operative which Paul had lots of suitable skills for. We emailed the employer who contacted Paul for a telephone interview. The team prepared him for interview and helped him purchase clothes for interview. Paul was successful and started work in March 2024

Paul told his Restart Advisor:

“You’ve literally saved my life. I don’t know what I’d do without you. I feel confident about tomorrow and finally feel I am getting somewhere."

Good luck Paul no matter what, you are amazing!!!