Yes, the JCP staff has little time to deal with this kind of specialised help, so they may already be referring people to Nextstep for this support. Basically if you are over 20, we can meet you and give you the rundown on our service and then meet for three hour-long sessions during which we can advise you on all types of job, career and training opportunities. From benefits to learning grants; from getting into work to climbing the career ladder, our advisers can help. Our nextstep advisers will work with you in an informal and friendly way to help you to generate ideas, focus on what's important to you and look at your situation in a different way. It isn't like a test or a job interview; the adviser is working for you to make sure you have the best information to make the best decisions about your future! If you're under 20, there are special circumstances where we can help, so get in touch too if you're over 18. That said I would also point out that although we can help and would love to, Connexions are a well established service for 13-19 yr olds and they do a really good job. You can be employed and looking for a better job, in which case we can advise on accessing training or further education to gain the extra skills needed to move to that job. You could be unemployed, or redundant, under notice of redundancy, or studying, and we can help you. One of the things we do is a very good careers aptitude diagnostic assessment after which you should have a very good idea of what type of work would be more suitable for the real you, not the person you are often forced to be by being in the wrong job. This can help to change jobs to one which is more satisfying and natural for the type of person you are. We can then help with CVs, signpost to education and training, advise on job searching and many other aspects of careers. I was sent to the Pit for an apprenticeship when I was 16, without doing any such assessment. I trained and gained skills, became a craftsman and lived as a fitter, but I used to get a lot of headaches. Now I think I know why. Next, in the eighties, after 15 years of being a colliery fitter, I was made redundant and after a brief episode running a bike shop, I went into care work and progressed through teaching to Information Advice and Guidance. I have found a job I love doing here, and when I started with this company I did the Buzz, as the diagnostic is called. Among the 22 careers suggested, I have actually done 13 since leaving the pits. These jobs include care worker, photographer, media, journalism, advice worker, complementary medicine, desktop publishing, support worker etc etc. Colliery fitter is not on this list, not surprisingly. Hence the headaches, my body knew I was uncomfortable in that role, even if I didn't……well actually thinking back, I spent 9 years writing off for jobs somewhere else, I liked it so much.! So that's why I feel everybody should try the diagnostic if they feel that they are in the wrong job, or maybe are looking for a job anyway. We aren't trying to cause people to suddenly feel they should change jobs, but if they are in that frame of mind already we can help in many ways. We are funded by the Learning and Skills Council and the European Social Find, so we can provide a totally free service. We can help adults to avoid having to go in the jobcentre at all, if they get in touch as soon as redundancy is threatened. For redundancy cases, there is various funding available to give extra support to the employees, and we can go into workplaces and arrange all of this for any employers in the sad position of having to make these cuts, providing a service at no cost to them, that many employers have had to pay private companies to carry out. There might be loads more things to talk about, either ask questions here, or phone or text me on 07771 352960 (please leave your number if I'm busy. I WILL contact you as soon as I can) or email me on fhutton@cfbt.com and I can arrange to meet you to discuss how I can help you. I might not have your exact answer to hand but I guarantee to get back with up to date, accurate information as soon as I can. I look forward to hearing from anyone on this subject. For anyone in other areas I can refer them to the Nextstep adviser in their area.
