When he joined the programme, Dan wasn’t entirely sure where his career path would lead, but he knew one thing: his ideal role would be working in a library. At the time, it felt like a distant dream. 

Henry, Dan’s Supported Employment Specialist, worked closely with him to prepare for job opportunities. Together they built a strong rapport and understanding through the Vocational Profile, which explores each participant’s preferences, previous work experience, interview comfort, and mental and physical health needs. This helps ensure job searches are aligned with roles that genuinely fit the individual. For Dan, it became clear that quiet, structured environments suited him best. 

Using this insight, Henry and Dan worked together to update Dan’s CV with the relevant skills and qualities, providing a helpful reference point to revisit whenever Dan felt anxious about his progress. They searched for roles together, giving Dan both supported and independent job-search time to build his confidence. 

When a library assistant position became available in Dan’s local area of Poynton, Henry spotted the vacancy on Indeed, when specifically looking for library opportunities for Dan. It seemed like the perfect fit. 

To help Dan prepare, Henry arranged mock interviews with a colleague at Fedcap to practise typical questions and build his confidence. They visited the library in advance, allowing Dan to familiarise himself with the environment before the real interview. Recognising the importance of reasonable adjustments, Henry emailed the hiring manager (cc’ing Dan) to request the interview questions in advance – an adjustment that helped Dan feel more comfortable and prepared. 

This personalised preparation paid off, despite this being Dan’s first formal interview, he performed brilliantly and was offered the role as a Casual Library Assistant. 

Since then, Dan has flourished. He’s been working regular shifts at Poynton Library, doing exactly what he hoped to do. Before starting, Henry and Dan also explored volunteering opportunities together and visited Space4Autism, where Dan began volunteering to ease himself back into a working routine. Even after starting paid work, Dan continued volunteering there, balancing both roles and gaining experience in different community-focused environments. 

As Dan settled into his library role, he and Henry continued to have regular contact as part of his in-work-support. During one of their meetings, they discussed some challenges Dan was having within the role, around “baby rhyme time” sessions – a social part of the job that initially felt daunting. Henry supported Dan to write an email to his manager, requesting to pause participation in these sessions while he built confidence and received additional support. 

Dan’s dedication hasn’t gone unnoticed. His manager, recognising his commitment, told him about additional hours at nearby libraries and offered to recommend him to other managers. He has since started assisting at Macclesfield Library and continues to meet regularly with Henry for in-work support. Dan has now applied for a full-time permanent position within the library service and is excited for his future prospects. 

Speaking to Dan about his time on the programme, he shared: 

“The Inspiring Futures programme has truly helped me. I didn’t have a lot of expectations, but I had hopes, and the programme has fulfilled those hopes. I’ve secured a job and gained confidence I didn’t have before. When I started, I didn’t know what to expect, but it turned out to be exactly what I needed. 

“I always tell people about Fedcap because it just works. I almost can’t believe it exists, and I wish there were more programmes like Inspiring Futures. I’ve become almost evangelistic, because it has made such a huge difference. It’s what councils should be doing. I’ve been lucky to get what I wanted.”

The post Daniel’s Story – Building Confidence and a Career in the Library Service appeared first on Fedcap Employment.

Tony met with his Supported Employment Specialist, Dillan, and the wider team at Fedcap, who worked closely with him to identify a suitable work placement. His first interview didn’t quite align with his needs, but with the support of Robyn, his Occupational Inclusion Specialist, he remained confident and committed to finding a better fit. Managing expectations and staying focused on long-term success was key.

After several weeks of outreach and collaboration, Robyn found a new opportunity with Age UK Cheshire. The team ensured a thorough and thoughtful process, including discussions around reasonable adjustments, risk assessments, and workplace support to make sure Tony would thrive in the role.

Following a positive introduction and planning meetings, Tony was delighted to accept a voluntary placement. His new role comes with a range of support to help him succeed, including a dedicated work buddy, clearly shared tasks, regular check-ins, straightforward instructions, and scheduled breaks.

This is a fantastic outcome that shows the power of personalised support — and how, with the right approach, meaningful work is possible for everyone.

The post Finding the Right Fit: Tony’s Journey to Meaningful Work appeared first on Fedcap Employment.

Recognising that Alexis needed additional support for her mental health before she could begin exploring a return to the workplace, her Supported Employment Specialist, Laura, referred her to Talking Therapies, where she accessed professional guidance and tools to manage her well-being.

When the time came to start looking for volunteering opportunities, Fedcap provided funding for smart work clothes to help her feel more confident going for roles. Alexis secured a work placement at Everybody Leisure in Crewe, where she now volunteers as a receptionist.

A key part of Alexis’s success has been the support she’s received—not only from the team at Everybody Leisure but also from her emotional support dog, Finley. Recognising the importance of Finley as a reasonable adjustment in the workplace, Everybody Leisure has embraced both Alexis and Finley with open arms. Finley has quickly become a beloved member of the team, contributing to the inclusive and supportive environment that has allowed Alexis to thrive.

Speaking about her time as a volunteer, she shared:

“Volunteering has given me focus and a good routine. I have developed lots of skills and have been a lot more confident since I have been here. My work colleagues are amazing, and everyone has been so accommodating of Finley. Laura [from Fedcap] has met with my manager to help them with my wellness action plan to make sure I continue to be happy and safe at work. I’m excited to keep growing here!”

The centre manager, Richard, has also praised Alexis for her dedication and the positive relationships she’s built with colleagues and customers. Her story is a testament to how tailored support and reasonable adjustments in the workplace can help individuals overcome barriers and achieve their goals.

This opportunity has been life changing for Alexis, offering her a sense of purpose and a structured routine that has positively impacted her mental health.

The post Alexis’s journey back into the workplace appeared first on Fedcap Employment.

Cecilia dreamed of finding a library assistant role that would accommodate her needs as an autistic individual, but was told that achieving this dream would be nearly impossible. Referred to Fedcap by Cheshire East Council, Cecilia joined the Inspiring Futures programme in January 2024, and suddenly that impossible dream felt like something she could – and would – achieve.

Despite her nerves at not knowing what to expect, Cecilia was both excited and eager during her first meeting on the programme, her determination shining through. She talked with her Inspiring Futures employment advisor, Helen Taylor, about how her experience with autism and neurodiversity impacted her, both in terms of her search for employment and her daily life. Even coming into the office, she said, came with its own unique set of challenges.

Helen helped Cecilia feel comfortable with coming into the Fedcap office on a regular basis. This involved checking in with Cecilia about noise levels, travelling into the office, and the general office environment.

During their time together, Helen helped Cecilia make use of the Fedcap Hub, as well as offering in-work and financial support with clothes and travel. Together they worked on Cecilia’s CV, highlighting her strengths and helping her show off her best qualities. Mock interviews allowed them to work through and practice interview questions.

While applying for numerous library positions, Helen and Cecilia would use any questions Cecilia was asked during interview stages to inform their practices, using any feedback received for the next interview. Cecilia also received travel training to interview locations, and support with all interviews she had, including the Library of Birmingham.

Cecilia secured a virtual interview with the Global Banking School. Although anxious, particularly as this interview invitation came at the last minute and because all of her previous interviews had been conducted in person, Cecilia was determined to give it a go and worked with Helen to prepare herself.

Cecilia’s hard work paid off, and she secured the role of Library Assistant. Even after beginning work, Cecilia still receives regular support from Helen as part of the Inspiring Futures programme. Helen travelled with Cecilia on her first day in the new role, to ensure that everything ran smoothly for her and to offer support for Cecilia during her induction, allowing her to settle comfortably into the role. Helen also met with manager Daphne, who was extremely inclusive with Cecilia and wanted to know about any key triggers with her autism. Cecilia continues to receive in-work support by visiting Helen and speaking over the phone.

Cecilia is thrilled with her new role, with Helen noting her growing confidence and resilience. She is now largely unfazed by travel days, independently travelling to work and handling different crowds within the library. She also delivers group sessions for the new students during their induction period!

When speaking to Cecilia about the job, Helen has noticed just how happy Cecilia is about finally achieving her goal, as she regularly expresses how much she is enjoying the role.
Helen said:

“Cecilia is the perfect example of someone with the drive and passion to succeed. I cannot overstate how hard she was worked over the past few months to achieve her goal, and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed helping her use the skills and qualities she already held within herself. It’s been incredible to watch her confidence grow during her time with Inspiring Futures, and I’m thrilled that Cecilia is now happily settled in a dream role that provides the support she wanted.”

Find out more about the Inspiring Futures programme and other Fedcap initiatives by contacting us.

The post Cecilia achieves her dream library role through Fedcap Inspiring Futures appeared first on Fedcap Employment.

In 2022, SOCOTEC made a commitment by signing up for the Government’s Disability Confident scheme with help from employability support specialists, Fedcap.

Guided by our Employer Solutions team, SOCOTEC helped to change our customer’s lives and extend that support into its recruitment and business practices to offer an inclusive workplace for all its staff.

With 42 offices nationwide, SOCOTEC offers Fedcap customers across England entry-level jobs with career progression opportunities. We’ve placed customers into roles with SOCOTEC who needed extra support and reasonable adjustments to sustain their roles.

Since its pledge to becoming Disability Confident, 37% of our customers are still employed by SOCOTEC, 25% have found progression opportunities and 12.5% worked with the company until retirement.

As a Disability Confident Leader, SOCOTEC has demonstrated its dedication to creating an inclusive workplace for all and has pledged to share its positive practices with its supply chain.

Lisa Massey, HR Director at SOCOTEC, said: “We’ve been on an amazing journey with Fedcap, working in partnership to help candidates feel understood. We’re proud to be an organisation that can adapt our job opportunities to a diverse pool of candidates, see their lives change for the better and watch them flourish.”

Ryan King, Head of Employer Solutions at Fedcap, said: “Seeing SOCOTEC lead by example really demonstrates how, working together, we can improve the lives of our customers and offer a wider range of job opportunities to individuals in their local community.”

The post Fedcap supports national employer to become Disability Confident Leader Level 3 appeared first on Fedcap Employment.