Charlotte’s journey with atWork Australia began to build a solid life for herself and her children, despite her complex barriers to employment.
Fijian born, Charlotte’s ex-husband had left Fiji for Germany and taken their two children with him. Due to complex child custody laws between the two countries, Charlotte fled to Australia to build a secure and safe place for not only herself but her children.
Living with a mental health condition and suffering a debilitating knee injury, Charlotte struggled to find work, often living off the street until her pure determination for a better life led her to our Calder office and skilled DES Job Coach, Jenny.
Jenny worked tirelessly to build trust with Charlotte to help her gain confidence in her abilities. Jenny helped Charlotte with not only job leads, but also interview practice and constant feedback, which in turn led to a referral to a hospitality program.
After Charlotte successfully completed the pre-employment food and beverage course, the employer felt that she would be a great fit for them. She was engaged and interested throughout the course and her pleasant demeanour and great personal presentation meant she was successful in gaining employment within the organisation.
Charlotte’s reaction to finally finding consistent employment was excitement, relief and extreme gratitude. She had worked so hard with Jenny, and although at times she felt it was hard to see the finish line, her untiring determination kept her going and she finally got there.
Of course, Jenny is extremely happy for Charlotte.
“I love my role as a Job Coach, so I can witness these life-changing events for my job seekers,” says Jenny.
And for Charlotte, she will be celebrating precious time with her two children when they visit her next in Melbourne.