Life is looking up for 18-year-old Jasmine, who has recently been granted a traineeship in hospitality, after experiencing housing instability and a range of other personal difficulties.
Jasmine joined atWork Australia’s Perth office in late 2018 when she was just 17. Although she was highly motivated to find work, she had left school early and was finding it hard to convince employers of her abilities.
Jasmine was estranged from her parents, so no longer enjoyed any family support, and was struggling to pay rent. These less than ideal circumstances had left her feeling alone and, as one would expect, very stressed for one so young.
Her Employment Consultant at atWork Australia, Maggie, was determined to support Jasmine in any way she could.
“She is a such a lovely girl and she just wanted to work, but she was doing it tough. So, I took her under my wing and tried to help her as much as possible,” she said.
Maggie began her partnership with Jasmine by listening to her needs and goals and setting out a plan to help reach them. Jasmine wanted to work in hospitality at a café or restaurant, so they focused on boosting her wellbeing, confidence and motivation so that she would be mentally strong enough to approach would-be employers and happier and more secure in her personal life.
An atWork Australia psychologist worked with Jasmine over four sessions to develop strategies for managing her anxiety. At the same time, Maggie helped create a professional résumé for Jasmine, and together they made a list of potential employers who they contacted by phone.
atWork Australia supported Jasmine, who has no driver’s licence, by providing bus fares and occasionally, funds for essential food items.
It wasn’t long before Jasmine was employed as a waitress in a city café, although this foray into paid work lasted only five weeks. Another job at a deli lasted longer, and these efforts provided her with valuable skills in customer service, communication and teamwork.
Then, in October this year, Jasmine was offered a six-month traineeship with a local Mexican chain restaurant, which she accepted with enthusiasm. She’ll gain further skills and knowledge to become a food and beverage attendant, or work behind a bar, with the view to becoming a team leader or supervisor in a restaurant or hotel.
Maggie and atWork Australia will continue to provide post-placement support to make sure all is going well and to keep everything on track.
“I’m really happy with my situation now and I want to thank Maggie so much for all her help,” Jasmine said.