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NEW DEAL WAS A GREAT DEAL FOR UNEMPLOYED
WARRINGTON MAN
Paul
was an experienced call centre worker. Trouble had started for
Paul when he had a few personal problems. A difficult and
testing time of his life came along which many people will
identify with. He
started to feel depressed and found his job more and more
difficult. “I wasn’t achieving my figures. My poor
performance was making life miserable, I became unemployed.”
Being
unemployed affected Paul’s confidence greatly. “I’m not
saying all my time in call centre was bad, far from it. Call
centre work supplied me with a lot of skills, which have
stayed with me. There are a lot of plus points.”
“I
found it difficult to make ends meet on Jobseekers Allowance.
I got more in debt which just made me feel worse.”
“I
attended an interview with my adviser Sylvia, who was
extremely helpful. She went through the options with me. At
first she was going to send me to do job search but she
listened to me when I said I wanted a change of career and I
didn’t think it would suit me to go back to what I had
always done. I really wanted to learn some new skills. Sylvia
went out of her way to get me on a suitable IT training course
at Charter Training.”
“My
confidence slowly returned and I felt I had a purpose. It was
good to have a structure and routine to the day again, as I
know I had become stagnant. Most people who are unemployed are
depressed even if they don’t know it, you can get nocturnal,
staying up late at night and the days drift away. You don’t
feel part of society, it’s a vicious circle.
“Charter
Training arranged for me to do a work placement with them. I
found out that Charter needed a full time Learn Direct
trainer, so I informed my adviser who arranged for a 2 week
work trial. I didn’t have many clothes suitable for working
so my adviser arranged for me to have some funding to pay for
some new work shirts. Sylvia also helped me to claim Tax
credits which she fast tracked and I received within a week of
starting work. I am about to receive a £100 job grant which
Sylvia also sorted out.
“The
work trial was successful and I was offered the job. I now
have the perfect opportunity working here to help people who
were like me. Unemployed, depressed and a bit low on
confidence. I hear a lot of myself in the people I work with
at Charter Training. I can wholly appreciate where they are
coming from.”
Paul’s
confidence has retuned since starting work and now he feels he
can achieve more and more and has decided to resume his hobby
of being a part-time DJ.
Paul and a friend used to DJ on a Thursday night in the
centre of town. Collectively they have all the DJ equipment.
He also is going to look into music production. His
style of music is classed as “Bouncy House”. Music was his
outlet but as he got more depressed he did not want to carry
on doing it.
“I
am definitely a lot happier with my life”, said Paul.
“Interaction with other people has helped me greatly. I am a
people person and sympathetic to the needs of others.”
“The
fact that I have started work after a long time at home has
made my mum extremely proud. She was very worried about me”.
Paul’s
advice to someone who was in his position, unemployed and
feeling there was no way forward is “Stick with it. It’s
down to believing in yourself and take advantage of what the
Jobcentre have to offer, they really helped me.“
Gabriella
Pelligrini, Centre Manager, from Charter Training said
“We’re extremely please to have Paul on the team, he’s a
great asset to us. He learns quickly you only have to tell him
something once and he remembers”
For
further information about New Deal or Work Trials contact your
local Jobcentre or check out the website
www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk
For
the editor:-
For
further information contact:
June Wilson Jobcentre Plus Regional Office
Office Hours 0161 873 1341 mob 07779356336
Website www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk
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