In July of 2018, Linda decided to voluntarily register herself with atWork Australia. After working her whole life, Linda found herself unemployed due a medical condition which causes the degeneration of her spine. To keep herself busy, Linda volunteers her time dog-walking and helping autistic children partake in therapeutic horse riding. Although she enjoys this work, Linda wanted to actively contribute to society through paid employment and came to our Drysdale office to get some assistance.
During the initial meeting with her Disability Employment Services Job Coach, Shareece, Linda received help to make a return-to-work plan, as well as an updated resume and cover letter. Linda indicated that she would like to find work in hospitality, prompting Shareece to start calling businesses in the local area for any potential vacancies. As luck would have it, Linda was offered a job at a local café just 2 weeks after registering with atWork Australia.
Linda worked at the café for a month, and although she was grateful for the opportunity, she had to make the tough decision to resign as the hours and type of work were significantly impacting her health. Given that majority of Linda’s experience is in hospitality, and she enjoys the work, it was agreed to continue looking in the same industry but for positions which suited her needs.
Due to the severity of Linda’s condition, her capacity is working a maximum shift of 3 hours, 2 or 3 times per week. Therefore, suitable job opportunities were hard to come by. Yet, with determination and persistence, Shareece helped Linda to apply for over 15 jobs as a kitchen hand.
After many applications and cold-calls, Linda still hadn’t heard back from anyone and was starting to doubt herself and question whether she would ever be successful in finding a job again. However, Shareece kept motivating Linda and developing her work-related skills and ability to cope with work stressors.
As the saying goes, good things come to those who wait, and that was exactly the case for Linda who received a call from Ocean Mist Aged Care to invite Linda for an interview. After receiving some interview tips from Shareece, Linda was informed that she performed so well, that they would love to have her as part of their team.
“I doubted whether I would ever find a job again – until I met my Job Coach Shareece, who instilled so much enthusiasm, motivation and confidence in me,” said Linda.
After 5 years of unemployment, Linda has found herself with an employer who is willing to work around her health needs. This has created an incredible amount of happiness for Linda who is now also reaping the financial benefits of employment as well.
“It’s been incredibly rewarding to help Linda get back into paid employment. The financial freedom she now experiences will allow her to take a well overdue trip back home to Darwin – something I know she has been wanting to do for a while now,” said Shareece.
Regardless of our client’s barrier to finding work, or how long they have been out of work, atWork Australia are here to help them find fulfilling, life-changing work, just like Linda. Let us help you too. Call us on 1300 080 856 or enquire online today.
