Good News Stories continued...
(Names have been changed in all our good news stories)
Jack's Story
When Jack was referred for a work placement under the Work Preparation programme, he was unable to read or write and struggled with communication skills. His Employment Placement Advisor (EPA) supported him into a placement with a local recycling company. Jack was fully committed to the placement and thoroughly enjoyed the work he did. During the period of the placement he made excellent progress but when the placement ended he was referred back to the Job Centre. However, a few weeks later he accepted full time employment with the recycling company.
Publishing Success
Two participants have had their first book published. They have written a 12 page, full colour booklet on dealing with stress, entitled Improve Your Groove, which draws on personal experiences.
Brian's Story
Brian suffers with depression following several close family bereavements about 20 years ago. He has always managed to stay in employment but was going through a bad patch recently, in which he felt particularly low and unable to cope with things. He was very worried that he would lose his job and this increased his anxiety and low confidence. In particular, he had got into the habit of thinking negatively about everything and always assumed the worse.
Brian had a series of personal development sessions, including confidence building, anxiety management, assertiveness and positive thinking. By the end of these he felt more able to cope and more positive about his future. The assertiveness skills had enabled him to have a frank discussion with his Line Manager about his workload and the stress he felt at work was eased. He also received some excellent feedback from his employer, which boosted his confidence and self esteem. Brian stated that the sessions had taught him effective techniques for coping with his depression and anxiety and this has enabled him to stay in employment.
Richard's Story
Richard had been signed off work for two and a half years when he was first advised about Pentreath through the Disability Advisor at his local Job Centre. He was given a list of workshops to see if any were of interest to him. Richard admits to being rather sceptical at this point, having had counselling and undertaken a similar scheme with a different provider in another county, which he had not found beneficial. Richard felt unable to get back on track and although he knew he did not wish to return to engineering, he was very unclear about what he did want to do.
On looking through the list of sessions, Richard was able to identify some he was interested in, particularly a session looking at positive thinking. Richard had been self critical for as long as he could remember and felt it was a good opportunity to try and change this. He found that over time, he could reduce these negative thoughts and think more positively.
One particular session had a significant impact on Richard and taught him, what he feels, are techniques for life and skills he could use in everyday life. When Richards’s sessions with Pentreath finished, he had a far more optimistic outlook on life and was able to gain employment. When circumstances meant Richard had to move to a new area and leave his employment, he had the tools to stay focused and positive, which he does not feel he would have been able to do six months previously.
On moving, Richard signed up to a college course and has now been accepted onto a Psychology and Sociology course at university. He volunteered as a mentor on our Success course, helping people learn the techniques that had helped him. On seeing how others progressed, he knew this was the career he wanted to follow. Richard has now been successful in gaining employment working in mental health, helping people to get out of situations he feels he had been through himself.
