Stroke survivor supported into work by charity

After Mick from South Derbyshire suffered a stroke, he was left physically disabled with low confidence. He found it impossible to get back into work but with help from regional charity Groundwork Five Counties, Mick has now found a new job and regained his confidence.

58-year-old Mick suffered a sudden major stroke in August 2024, a huge shock to him and his family. He stabilised and mostly recovered, but the stroke left him blind in one eye and his mobility was affected which makes him unsteady on his feet.

Mick has always been a hard worker, with a long career in sales. After his recovery he wanted to get back to work but he found employers wouldn’t give him a fair chance. With each setback, his confidence plummeted.

In June he attended a job fair where he met Claire, an Employability Coach from regional charity Groundwork Five Counties. After speaking with her about their free Beyond Barriers employability programme, Mick decided to accept her offer of support.

Together, they worked on his CV, covers letters, and applications. Mick started to secure interviews but was still not successful in getting a job. Claire helped him further improve his confidence during interviews, which he found to be the hardest part of the process.

Mick attended the programme’s workshops on interviewing and used the tips he learned in his next interview – to great effect. He secured a full-time permanent job in car sales, which he has already started.

Mick says: “Claire is fantastic, helpful and kind. She listened and built my self-esteem back up after I felt like I was never going to get anywhere. The information to navigate interviews successfully has really helped improved my confidence.

“Thanks to Beyond Barriers, I have achieved my goal of securing a full-time job. I am so pleased and would recommend this service to anyone who needs help.”

The Beyond Barriers employability programme is free of charge, as it is funded by South Derbyshire District Council’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF).

South Derbyshire residents between the ages of 18 – 64 can get free support to achieve their employability goals. This could be to get into paid or voluntary work, gain new skills, set up their own business, or get into education.

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