Employment Coach Claire helps young nurse kickstart career

Beyond Barriers Employment Coaches Vanessa and Claire (L-R)

19-year-old Rebecca from South Derbyshire aspires to become a nurse and wanted to start her career with a job as a support worker but was struggling to find work. With help from regional charity Groundwork Five Counties, she has now kickstarted her career.

Rebecca finished college last summer and was ready to start work right away but despite applying to countless vacancies, was not getting invited for interviews. Each rejection affected her confidence, and she was starting to doubt she would ever find work.

In October, she attended a job fair in Swadlincote and met Claire, an Employment Coach at charity Groundwork Five Counties. After chatting about her experience, Rebecca signed up for the Beyond Barriers programme, a free employability service that supports unemployed adults to improve their chances of getting hired.

They regularly met for informal one-to-one meetings where they worked on her CV and cover letters, and practised for future interviews. Claire also helped her to access and navigate job boards, particularly those with a focus on the health and social care sector.

To increase Rebecca’s confidence, she was invited to group activities with other programme participants. These sessions include learning and collaborative working, as well as socialising to help everyone improve their communication skills and self-assurance around strangers and new places.

All Rebecca’s hard work paid off when she interviewed for a support worker role and implemented everything she learned. She got the job and she has recently started work.

She says: “I am so grateful for Claire’s help, I feel like I would still be looking for work if I did not access this support. I feel more confident and have a lot of new skills to use when applying for jobs for the rest of my career.”

Beyond Barriers is a partnership by Groundwork Five Counties with South Derbyshire District Council, who have provided a grant from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF). South Derbyshire residents between the ages of 18 – 66 can get free support to find paid or voluntary work, get into education, or gain new skills.

The programme’s friendly Employment Coaches Claire and Vanessa (pictured) offer support for as long as the participants requires. All advice is fully tailored to the individual’s needs and interests.

To find out more and sign up for this free service, visit: www.groundwork.org.uk/fivecounties/beyond-barriers