A brighter future
Life-changing support means new horizons
Brian* from Barnsley has proven that if you want to work you can, after the Restart Scheme helped him to transform his life.
Brian had been out of work for over 18 months when he was referred to the Restart Scheme in September.
In South Yorkshire, Maximus UK is working with its partners The Growth Company to deliver the Restart Scheme.
Brian, 47, had always worked in stock movement or production and was very keen to get into work when he first met his Restart Scheme Employment Advisor Ann.
However, by October things had changed dramatically.
Brian had become homeless, had no ID documents, no phone, and he had no bank account.
On hearing of the gravity of the situation that he was now in, Ann got to work to help Brian break down his barriers one by one to give him the help he so needed.
Ann developed an action plan that would not only help empower him to achieve his job goal, but also change his life all-round.
Ann made Brian an appointment with the local authority’s Homelessness department, who referred Brian to the housing options team and gave him a caseworker.
After researching online, the Growth Company Restart Scheme team arranged for Brian to have a no fixed abode bank account set up.
Thanks to these interventions, he is now on a waiting list for a single-persons flat, hoping to be placed in the early months of 2022.
The team provided Brian with a mobile phone, which he later used to contact old friends to secure somewhere to sleep in the meantime.
The Restart Scheme team also arranged obtaining Brian a new ID, birth certificate and worked with Jobcentre Plus to prove his national insurance.
Brian continued to check in with the team about available job opportunities.
He had no CV, and Ann worked with him to create a good quality CV to show off his skills to potential employers.
Brian had no clothes for interviews or work, and so, through the Growth Company Restart Scheme team, he was offered some vouchers, which were used to buy a new smart shirt and trousers. He also had no funds for travel and was provided with weekly bus tickets.
Within a week, Brian attended an interview in which he was successful, securing a temporary part-time position as a stock assistant. He started his new job in October.
And in even more great news for Brian, he has now been taken on permanently.
Speaking of his journey on the Restart Scheme, Brian said: “They’ve been brilliant and this lass has been amazing, they helped me with everything and got me into a job I really like.”
