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Jean secures job with NHS thanks to Foundations for Life team

Just after the country went into lockdown, life got even tougher for Karbon customer Jean after losing her job.

Feeling low and despondent, she was referred to the Foundations for Life team to help build her confidence and find her next job.

The Foundations for Life team is a team of specialist advisors who work with Karbon’s customers to help develop their employability and digital skills to help them find work, progress their careers or simply develop new skills,

Jean accessed the free service by working with employment advisor, Helen Stevenson who helped her to work on her confidence and see things more positively.

She had limited IT skills and needed help to use her mobile phone so she could search and apply for jobs.

Helen helped her to register with Durham Care Academy and she successfully completed her training online using her mobile.

Her desire was to return as a domestic and Helen found a job advertised for the NHS at the Royal Victoria Infirmary Hospital in Newcastle. She helped Jean to apply for the job as she couldn’t do this via her phone and after being invited for interview, she was offered the role.

Following this, there was a lot of online forms and documentation which needed to be completed and returned and she also had to apply for her DBS online.

Unfortunately, Jean didn’t have sufficient ID so Helen contacted HR to explain that she was helping her to get the ID that was required so that she could be given a start date in her new role.

Helen said: “The application and criteria for working with for the NHS is quite complex and they require suitable ID before they will give candidates a start date. Unfortunately, Jean did not have these to hand, so I worked with her to collate the relevant information that was required.”

Thankfully, Helen managed to help Jean apply for alterative ID and ensured HR was kept informed every step of the way to make sure her application was still applicable.

Jean has now started in her new role within the NHS and is really enjoying it.

She said: “I was feeling really down when I lost my job at the beginning of the year and then we went into lockdown – I was feeling low and not sleeping well. I had nowhere to turn to for advice due to lockdown and Covid 19. I was so glad I contacted the Foundations for Life team at Karbon and Helen was brilliant.

“She was there for me and I could call her anytime during the day for advice and support. Helen found the job role advertised at the NHS and helped me to apply.

“She is a wonderful person and has helped me to find work. Without her support, I would still be looking for work and unsure what steps to take. I am now a few months into my job and I am really enjoying it and am feeling a lot more positive.”

If you're a Karbon customer you can access employment and digital support and advice from the Foundations for Life Team, just like Jean. 

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