When James* was referred to the Make Your Move employment support service he had been out of work for over 12 years due to physical and mental ill-health.  Prior to James becoming ill he had a strong employment history and work ethic, so when he could no longer work this had a negative impact on his mental health. James struggled to cope with the change from being a high-functioning employee/employer with managerial skills to being unable to provide for his family.

When we first met James he was very willing and highly skilled, but had low self-esteem.  James successfully completed all of the job club sessions, and during these he decided that he wanted to brush up on his IT skills. We arranged an assessment for James with Gateshead Adult Learners so that he could enroll onto a suitable course, and when James attended the assessment session he was thrilled to find he was more competent and skilled than he had given himself credit for. He was able to join the sessions at level 3, making him one of the more advanced learners in the group – a huge boost to his self-esteem.

During the service’s drop-in sessions we also worked with James to identify which career direction he would like to take, helping him design a new skills-based CV based on this. James quickly got invited to two interviews, receiving glowing feedback from the first, and was offered an 8-week placement with the second. James is feeling very hopeful and enthusiastic about the opportunity, which might lead to securing paid employment with the placement provider.

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* This case study is from a real client of MHM, but the names have been changed and the photo has been staged by an actor to protect their privacy.