A Buckinghamshire woman has praised the ‘amazing’ support she received to help turn her life around.
Aneta, 35, has been supported by our Job Entry Targeted Support (JETS) programme which offers tailored support to help people get back on the payroll. But while Aneta found the all-important job she was looking for with our help, it was the wider support she received that has truly helped her to transform her situation.
Why Aneta joined the JETS programme
Aneta had been working in the IT sector before the coronavirus pandemic hit and she unfortunately lost her job during the lockdown period. Despite picking up a part-time seasonal job, it didn’t last long and she needed some extra support.
She and her six-year-old child had also become homeless and struggled to find suitable accommodation. It was clearly important for Aneta to get back into work so she was referred to our JETS programme by Jobcentre Plus.
How Fedcap helped
Aneta was partnered with our Employment Adviser Megan Beardsley, who worked with Aneta in the community where she was comfortable.
Aneta was having to use some of the little money she had to travel to the local library to conduct her job searches, so Megan provided Aneta with a laptop so she was able to do this from home and had more time to look for work.
Anytime Aneta was anxious or confused, Megan was always there for her, while Megan’s colleague Shivali supported Aneta with advice and guidance about childcare. Shivali even organised a £50 voucher from Tesco to support Aneta get back on her feet.
Aneta made good progress in looking for work and took part in a variety of workshops laid on for our customers, including CV writing and support to identify transferable skills.
As Aneta’s confidence grew, she started to work with our Employment Support Adviser Marco who supported her to customise her CV for different sectors – a tactic which worked quickly and she started to get more interviews.
Getting the job
One of the interviews she landed was with Olleco and after impressing managers, she was offered a job as a Technician.
But away from work, Fedcap have also helped Aneta enhance her living situation. Previously living in one room, our team made a referral to a charity who supported her further. With the extra energy having a job gave her, she was able to deal with her situation easier and was eventually offered a home through Buckinghamshire County Council.
Fedcap, and prime provider Seetec, went above and beyond to help Aneta further by providing £100 each to help her settle down in her new surroundings, while we also supported with four weeks’ worth of travel costs in her new job.
Aneta said: “Knowing you have this backup is amazing. I came out of the darkness; it feels like everything is going back to normal and I have got myself back.
“I have always wanted to do something with animal care. In Poland I studied biology and chemistry and had a passion for animals. I would like to pursue courses in the future in relation to veterinary work.
“Megan has been very supportive, positive and has always provided me with links to information such as employment and childcare. She always came back to me when she said she would. I think this level of comfort and connection you felt is that you are not on your own.”
