“Thank you for being there for me whenever I needed you.” – Rida to her Employability Coordinator, Catrina.
Catrina is an Employability Coordinator with ProjectScotland, working in Dundee. In this case study she has written about helping Rida gain confidence, and find the best opportunities for her, this is all part of the work we are doing as part of our All In Dundee partnership. Rida was referred to ProjectScotland by her work coach at the local job centre, she had recently completed an accountancy degree at university.
“When I first met with Rida, she was extremely nervous, withdrawn, and socially isolated. She was keen to find employment but did not have a CV or the confidence to apply for jobs. I introduced myself, and the service ProjectScotland provide, to Rida explaining what the support would look like for her. It was explained that as an Employability Coordinator, I would support Rida to overcome her barriers to employment.
We met weekly on a 1:1 basis, completing the necessary paperwork, then looking at the areas of support she required. These ranged from confidence and self-esteem building and job searching, as well as creating a CV. During these sessions Rida also explained she had suffered the bereavement of her father whilst at university, and this had taken a huge toll on her mental health.
At our weekly 1:1 session, we continued to work on Rida’s strengths and skills, highlighting her positive attributes. I could see her confidence grow from week to week. She was much more engaging, initiating conversation, and starting to believe in herself more.
Rida reached a point where she felt confident enough to attend a CV workshop group that was run by a partner agency. This was a big step for Rida as she would be attending this on her own, which she managed to do.
Rida continued with her 1:1 sessions with me. As a result she learned how to create a CV, which we worked on together and was supported to complete a job application. Rida’s confidence continued to build, and her grief was now a motivating factor in getting a job, to make her father proud.
Through working in partnership with the All In Dundee consortium, I was made aware of an opportunity that would suit Rida, this was an employment academy with Social Security Scotland. If Rida accepted this and completed the six weeks training, she would be guaranteed paid employment for one year. Rida was thrilled at the opportunity and went on to complete the academy. A few months into her job, Rida was a little apprehensive that because she was in employment, her support from me would end, but I explained to Rida that she would continue to receive “in-work” support from me.
Six months in, Rida is thriving at her job and has a group of friends whom she is socialising with. I check in with her regularly, and she reminds me that she is so grateful for all the support she has received from the service.”
“The most helpful aspect of the service was that Cat helped me search for the jobs relevant to my qualification and skills. Cat helped me build confidence and complete and apply for jobs.” – Rida