Dylan felt held back from going for his dream job in retail and he needed help from Fair Start Scotland to become more confident.
Why did Dylan join Fair Start Scotland?
Dylan joined Fair Start Scotland service with very low confidence and self-esteem. He lacked skills in retail due to his Dyslexia, he also had difficulties in processing information. He felt his dream job in retail would remain a dream as he believed it was impossible for him to learn how to operate machines such as the tills.
How did Fair Start Scotland help?
Dylan was introduced to Gillian Employment Engagement Consultant from Momentum who developed an action plan with him which focused on building his confidence and self-esteem. Gillian wants to help Dylan believe in himself more, so that he can widen his career options.
Dylan attended a number of workshops such as Confidence and Anxiety giving him the tools to help him overcome his barriers. With the help of Fair Start Scotland, it has given him the confidence to look at volunteering opportunities to give him some work experience in retail. He started volunteering at the Chest Heart and Stroke charity shop. This was a smoother transition for Dylan to start his journey in retail in a safe and secure environment.
In his time volunteering he started with basic skills of hanging clothes, building relationships with staff and becoming part of the team. This was a huge step for Dylan who found it very difficult to put himself in those situations. He eventually started to work front of shop.
With the support from Laura, Manager at Momentum, they started to look at building Dylan’s skills and abilities further. After a number of discussions Laura felt he was ready to operate the till and deal with customers.
Dylan is now trained on till operation and using this on a daily basis when on shift.
Getting the Job
The next step for Dylan was to look further afield at other opportunities in his local area. Gillian offered him an opportunity with the Marks and Starts Programme, which he was very keen and enthusiastic to apply. This opportunity has the scope for a 12-week paid employment at the end of a four-week work placement.
Dylan was successful at the Marks and Starts interview and started his placement working in the clothing department. He is getting on extremely well and is working well as part of a team.
Dylan was also successful in gaining grant funding which was applied for through Fair Start Scotland to enable him to learn how to drive. Fair Start Scotland have worked together with the driving instructor to book lessons and has attended the Theory School practice on a weekly basis to improve his chances due to his Dyslexia.
Without the help and support from Fair Start Scotland and the collaborative work and relationships which have been built with Chest Heart and Stroke Charity Shop and the Marks and Starts programme, Dylan would not have had the same level of opportunity to build on his skills and his abilities.
Dylan feels his life has changed since joining the service and is very grateful of the help and support which has contributed to supporting his aspirations and goals.