Paul progresses from a volunteer to a paid employee

Paul was referred to Offploy via the National Probation Service in Goole and upon meeting him it was clear to see that his confidence levels were low because of the number of knock backs he had experienced whilst trying to gain employment. This was down to the significant barriers he was facing due to the nature of his conviction. Paul was eager to find work and already had a well presented CV, however, he required a disclosure letter which made him very nervous as he wasn’t sure how to disclose his conviction to a potential employer. Paul’s Social Employment Advisor, Mandy, guided Paul through our Employability course which left him feeling more confident about disclosure and employment in general. Paul was a really proactive candidate and had already been volunteering for a local charity specialising in community green spaces for a while. After the employability course, he approached Mandy with an application form for a paid position at the same organisation. Mandy supported him to make minor changes to the application and refreshed interview techniques previously learnt on the course. All of the support from Offploy and hard work put in by Paul paid off, as he was accepted for the position and has been in full-time employment since May 2019. He now knows how best to disclose his conviction and has taken that first daunting step to breaking barriers and entering employment. He maintains regular contact with Mandy as part of his ongoing mentoring and he has been really complimentary of the support provided by Offploy. Together, with the National Probation Service, we will continue to support candidates like Paul into meaningful, mentored and sustainable employment