How Donald’s New Job Gave Him a New Outlook on Life
Finding a job you love positively impacts all aspects of your life. You have more opportunities to meet people, you’re reaping the benefits and have financial security, and most importantly; you’re happier.
This rings true for participant Donald, who came to AimBig Employment in June 2021 for support on his quest for work. Living with anxiety, Donald faced strong barriers to employment, where his lack of confidence and anxious thoughts had stood in the way of taking his next step in his career.
When he first came to AimBig Employment, he was in a poor mental health state due to prior personal experiences. This raised feelings of insecurity and made him apprehensive to the job seeking process. He was supported by Steph and Jo Anne, passionate job coaches from the local Corio team. Both job coaches spoke to him and reassured him that the AimBig Employment team was there to support him, and that it was okay to not be okay.
Steph worked with Donald to determine his passions and skillsets to create a personalised job plan. Donald had expressed doubt in his abilities to work with his anxiety, where he revealed that past negative experiences in his life had led to him a declining mental health state. He was focused on how he could better himself to have the best employment prospects, but Steph wanted to highlight what Donald could do, rather than what he couldn’t.
After Steph had suggested a few career options, Donald stumbled across a job he felt was right for him, and got Steph’s reassurance that he should take the leap of faith. He was successful in landing the job, starting as a cleaner for a local cleaning company.
Tracking to 26 weeks of employment, life has never looked so good for Donald. He has told Steph and Jo Anne that he is a new man and feels so supported by the AimBig Employment team. Still managing his anxiety, he isn’t letting his mental health condition rule his life, enjoying his work while also studying in his free time. On top of this, he has bonded with his work friends and made meaningful friendships, helping him come out of his shell. His focus is now on building on his confidence and progressing in his career as well in his life, asserting that finding employment has changed so many other areas of his life in a good way. He continues to be supported by Jo Anne and the AimBig Employment team, mentioning that due to his job coaches understanding of his circumstances and background, he was able to move forward with his career.
We spoke to Corio Team Leader Eduardo about Donald’s progress.
“From June 2021 to today, Donald has made so much progress. He is like a new person, always smiling and happy to have found employment. I love hearing him talk to us about his job and how working has changed his life. We are so proud to have helped Donald and so many other job seekers like him seeking support.”
At AimBig Employment, we can support you, no matter your barriers to employment. Our kind and compassionate team members have local community connections to build your network and find your next opportunity that will change your life.