Moneywise Plus: Confidence to get back to work

This week we are featuring the work of Moneywise Plus a project funded via The Big Lottery and ESF, that works in partnership with Action Homeless to improve the on-going digital and financial competence for people unemployed or economically inactive

This case study shows how our Moneywise Plus advisor was able to give someone the skills and confidence to apply for jobs.

What did you need Moneywise Plus to help you with?

I needed help to produce a CV and to store it so that I could search and apply for jobs. I also needed to be updated on how best to search for a job. I had previously worked as a gas engineer but had to finish work due to ill health.

Why was this a problem and how was it affecting you?

Due to both physical and mental ill health I had lost my confidence and although I knew that I have good qualifications I was struggling to put this into a CV and was unsure as to how to set this out. Due to me losing my confidence this made me unsure as to the value of my skills.

How did your Moneywise Plus advisor support you, what did they do for you?

Initially we completed an assessment and chatted about what my skills were and what work I had done in the past. We were able to then start to put this in a CV. I felt that there was no pressure and it was not rushed and that I had more valuable skills than I realised i.e. working to set timescales and communicating with team members.
The CV was than stored on a memory stick and also uploaded to Indeed. We then did some job searches and discussed the jobs that were available and how I could best access the information.

What did you learn whilst receiving the support?

I have learnt that I have more skills that I thought and that searching for a job does not need to be stressful and that I can go at my own pace. There are quite a few jobs that match my skills and I now know how to apply for these on line and attached my CV.

How are things different for you now? What has changed?

I had a lot going on when I first signed up to the project, in respect of being homeless and family issues but I now feel I have the skills to apply to jobs and have increased my confidence. I have a good CV that I can use which shows my skills and qualifications. This is also stored on a memory stick so that I can amend it in the future if I need to.

How do you feel about your future now?

I feel more confident about the future and being able to get a job. Once I have been housed my life should become a lot better.

Funded project via The Big Lottery and ESF, Moneywise Plus works in partnership with Action Homeless and other organisations who all share the aim to improve the on-going digital and financial competence for people unemployed or economically inactive.

If you have experienced homelessness and would like to receive further support, please contact our specialist worker and Moneywise Plus Advisor, Pamela Nixon for additional support and advice. Pamela can be contacted via email: pamelanixon@actionhomeless.org.uk