European Social Fund (ESF) case study - Springboard Opportunities 1 - JobWorks+

Participant's story

This participant approached JobWorks+ for support in getting into employment. Having been involved in anti-social behaviour and having little prior work experience, he felt at a loss as to how to access employment and was pessimistic about his prospects. Through one-to-one mentoring, he identified that his motivation was to gain employment in order to occupy his time in a productive way.

The participant was keen to change how he was living and felt that finding employment would really help. His mentor worked to support him in distancing himself from the peer group that he was involved with as he had identified this as a negative influence, placing him at greater risk of going back to his old ways. Working closely with his mentor, he developed a practical support plan to avoid being drawn into the same patterns of behaviour as before.

He also received support to engage with a local organisation for assistance in relation to mental health. As a result, he has not only reported improvements in his mental health, but also with confidence and self-esteem.

Exploring job roles

Through mentoring, the participant explored various job roles and identified that he was interested in a career in security and stewarding. He was encouraged, and agreed, to participate in JobWorks+’s Stewarding programme. Through this he developed a CV and gained a range of OCN (Open College Network) qualifications. Despite challenges in his personal life, ongoing support from his mentor ensured that he successfully completed his first job interview and was offered employment with a local company.

The participant stated that

“life changed since coming to Springboard” and that completing the programme and gaining employment was “one of the proudest moments of my life; I never thought I’d ever get a proper job because of my past.”