(Social: ESG Report 2024/25)

Case study: Danny’s story

Danny is a 28-year-old man living in a Beyond Housing property. He has dyslexia and some physical health conditions resulting from a back injury sustained at a younger age. Since 2021, Danny has not been in paid employment but volunteers once a week at Westfield Farm, where he assists with administrative tasks and updates the job board.

During his initial appointment, Danny reported experiencing anxiety and indicated that, while interested in employment, he was uncertain about which career path to pursue due to physical limitations that make labour-intensive roles unsuitable. He brought his certificates for previously obtained qualifications to facilitate updating his CV and discussing possible options for suitable job roles.

Support was provided to help Danny identify skills based on his qualifications; he determined that an administrative role would be appropriate given it would not require prolonged standing or significant physical effort. Assistance was given with job searching, identifying vacancies, refining his CV, and preparing a covering letter for prospective employers.

After a period of limited responses to job applications, alternative strategies were explored to support his goal of working in administration. Danny and the support worker contacted Redcar College to explore part-time course options, including a Level 2 Business Admin course that could be completed online and from home. Danny decided to apply for this course.

Following his application, Danny participated in a telephone interview with the college and gained acceptance onto the course. Initially, he found some course content challenging. Support was provided to break down coursework questions, facilitating the development of his responses. Danny was encouraged to seek assistance from course tutors as needed.

Outcomes

Danny has less than four weeks remaining in the course and has passed all sections so far. His confidence regarding the course has increased, and he reports that obtaining the Level 2 qualification may provide the necessary skills to secure employment or an apprenticeship in administration.