Following four years of unemployment, Sean, 53, joined the Fair Start Scotland service in January 2023.
Prior to this, Sean had been working in retail, however after suffering a stroke in 2019 he took a break from work to focus on his health. Sean had decided he was ready to find work again however was struggling to navigate the job market independently.
Upon joining the Fair Start Scotland service, Sean began meeting with his Key Worker, Brian Coutts, on a weekly basis in the Dundee office. This helped to encourage Sean to feel comfortable with a schedule and improve his confidence.
Brian supported him to rebuild the confidence he had lost following his stroke and organised group sessions with other participants to help him feel comfortable in group settings.
Once Sean began feeling more confident, Brian organised for him to attend a one-week development workshop. This focused on how to look for and apply for work, interview preparation and how to feel confident in customer facing roles.
Whilst searching for work, Sean was impacted by his mum passing away which caused him to lose some of the confidence that he had gained and delayed his return to work. Brian supported Sean throughout this, by checking in on him and making sure he knew that our support was available to him once he was ready.
Once Sean was ready to continue his job search, he was helped to apply for a temporary Christmas role with a local supermarket. He successfully interviewed for the role and began working in November 2023.
Sean impressed his manager with his hard work and willingness to work flexibly that he was offered a permanent position as a Grocery Assistant in January 2024.
Reflecting on the support he received from Remploy, Sean said: “I really appreciate the support that Brian and the Dundee team have offered me and how patient they’ve been with keeping me on track.”
