Altogether Now Project -AH Taking Steps in to employment.

I have been working with AH since January 2024 after he was referred to the Altogether Now Project funded by Henry smith. AH left college at the end of compulsory education without any next steps of further education, training or employment. Over the last 3 years he has filled his time with several different voluntary roles such as working at the local theatre and various charity shops. More recently, AH has started supporting his mum working in the family business doing some admin and payroll tasks. Due to anxiety AH social network is limited to family members and a small number of family friends.

During our initial meeting we identified AH areas of strengths and difficulties, allowing us to set some goals and a working plan on how best to support him to achieve them.

We worked on a travel training program which has given AH the skills and the confidence to access the public bus service, this has enabled him to travel independently. This has not only opened doors for employability experiences and social opportunities but given him a sense of achievement and some newfound freedom.

We arranged for our business member at Everards Brewery to hold a 1:1 interview technique session in the local community café. This not only gave AH valuable experience of a workplace interview but allowed him to plan and execute his travel needs whilst building confidence around his interaction and communication skills with unfamiliar people.

We worked together to build a CV and to practise “potluck” or “reverse steps” job searches. During these sessions we identified that AH has a unique skill set when working with facts and figures, he is very meticulous and methodical in his thought process and really enjoys the work he does with in the family business. AH was supported with delivering his CV to business in his local area, something he found very challenging yet persevered with.

We facilitated some 1:1 sessions with our business members at HRBS in order for him to explore the different job roles with in their finance, administration and HR departments, this allowed him to practise and enhance his communication skills within the work place.

Socially, AH has made great improvements. He has taken part in our team building activities at Treetops crazy golf, Beau Manor Hall, Cocoa Amore workshop and Leicester Outdoor Pursuit Centre where he has engaged with other participants from the project and enjoyed completing tasks, alongside providing positive encouragement for others. AH is now keen to know when the next social event is and tells me he thoroughly looks forwards to them.

Away from the project AH has also made huge progress social, recently travelling to London with his cousin to watch the wrestling and attending the Darts championships with family.

I am delighted to report that AH has secured employment and is thoroughly enjoying his customer service role. All the work AH has done with us this year on building confidences and improving communication skills has really stood him well in his transition in to the work place. The perseverance with job searches and job applications really did pay off.

Take a bow AH, you deserve it.