Claire, from Wishaw, joined the Fair Start Scotland service in August 2022 after being unemployed for one year. Claire, 24, had previously worked in a call centre but left the role as a result of stress and severe anxiety.
Her anxiety had also caused Claire to stop attending university, which negatively impacted her confidence and self-esteem.
Claire was introduced to Nicola Rigby, her Key Worker, who set up weekly one-on-one appointments to help improve her confidence speaking to people and encourage her to move out of her comfort zone.
After building up her confidence for a few months, Claire then started attending group employability development sessions. These gave Claire the opportunity to be more comfortable in group settings and learn about what jobs she could do.
Claire was supported to create a CV and identify her transferable skills. After hearing about a few career options during her development sessions Claire expressed an interest in finding a role in administration.
She didn’t have any specific experience or qualifications in the sector, so Nicola referred her to Citizens Advice Bureau to Careers programme, which offers participants a free four-week course enabling them to gain an administration qualification.
After completing the four-week training course, Claire then began volunteering with the Citizens Advice bureau to further develop her skills and gain further experience. Claire excelled during her time volunteering and was offered a paid position with the team as an Admin Assistant in January 2024.
Reflecting on the support she received from Remploy, Claire said: “I was supported from the very start of my time on the programme by my first Key Worker who helped me figure out ways I could build up my confidence. Remploy had originally helped me get into the Citizens Advice Bureau to Careers programme where I began volunteering one day a week. I now have a part-time position here and I love it.”
