Why did Samantha join Fair Start Scotland?
Sam from Kilmarnock, joined the programme after finishing University. Prior to this, Sam worked part-time classroom assistant as well as looking after her four children.
Returning to work after her studies was daunting for Sam, as she suffers with depression and anxiety. She had not been in an interview situation for over ten years and felt out of touch with the working world.
How did Fair Start Scotland help?
Sam met weekly with Lorna, her Personal Adviser who was able to offer her both practical and emotional support. She actively got involved with the Health and Wellbeing workshops but also needed employability support such as interview techniques as well as managing her nerves.
Sam's adviser did some mock interviews, bought her some interview clothes and paid her travel costs to get to and from the interviews she had. Sam's confidence slowly grew and this was due to the helpfulness, openness and friendliness of the team in the Kilmarnock office.
Sam's journey was filled with ups and downs, she was able to get to the interview stage of most jobs that she applied for, but something held her back at the interview stage. This was difficult for Sam, and started to impact on her mental health. It was at this time that the team stepped up and encouraged Sam not to give up.
Getting the job
StartScotland at the time were recruiting for an office coordinator. This role would be responsible for greeting potential participants, booking appointments, keeping the offices neat and tidy as well as other tasks.
Lorna put Samantha forward for the role as she believed she had all the skills required for the job.The interview was held in a location she was familiar with and with people she had previously met - this automatically put Sam at ease. She felt calm, didn't feel nervous - this resulted in her being successful during the interview.
Sam is now working full-time in the Kilmarnock office. Her confidence continues to grow as she adapts to her new role. She's managed to a summer holiday and is looking forward to a more financially stable future.
Sam hopes to remain in work and will work on her own personal development by getting involved in training courses. She will continue to you get support from the team so that she can provide a good service to our participants.
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