A father to young children, Indigenous client Roger was feeling overwhelmed when it came to employment. He didn’t know where to start and didn’t feel settled with any employment options.
He connected with atWork Australia’s Indigenous Connections Mentor, Jacqui, in the Mirrabooka atWork Australia office, for support on his employment journey.
“Roger shared with me that he had been in and out of work, and living with drug and alcohol, mental and physical health concerns. He was also feeling the pressure to raise and support a young family,” said Jacqui.
“We spoke about working to change this cycle Roger was on. We talked about starting from the very beginning and doing it together with support from the atWork Australia team.”
Jacqui started by taking Roger to the Department of Transport to renew his Drivers Licence. She then connected him to atWork Australia’s internal Wellness Services to address his mental and physical health.
Roger appreciated the flexibility of the Points Based Activation System in allowing him to prioritise his health and wellbeing in his job searching journey.
They spent a few months working on this, recognising that he needed to focus on his health before he could find sustainable work.
He was then referred to atWork Australia internal program called Jobs for the Mob. This program supported Roger to identify and work towards his life, education, and employment goals.
In February of this year, Roger was ready for work. He met with the atWork Australia Employer Engagement Consultant for a marketing day and was referred to an employer and was successful in gaining a position as a Trade Assistant.
atWork Australia supported Roger to pay for work uniforms, purchase a scooter to get to work, and provided food vouchers to pay for his lunch during the first week. Jacqui took Roger to work on his first day to ensure he was settled in.
“Roger said he was so thankful we did not give up on him. He appreciates that we didn’t rush him, and supported him to become physically and emotionally well,” said Jacqui.
“His employment now means so much to him, he is now able to support his family. He feels this role gives him purpose. He also said that things at home are much better because their days are more structured, and he looks forward to coming home.”
Every year, atWork Australia help thousands of clients like Roger expand their skills and qualifications to help them gain the right job with the right employer. Call us today on 1300 080 856 or enquire online to find out how we can help you meet your career goals.