Q&A with
Raven’s new
employment
advisers
Katrina Rihan
We have recently welcomed two new advisers to our projects team to support people to access opportunities for employment.
“ We work in a way that is centred on the individual’s needs and pace.”
Elizabeth (Liz) Long
Elizabeth (Liz) Long joined the East Surrey Pathway to Employment project in Januaryas an employment adviser and provides support to people who are unemployed and residing in any type of temporary living arrangement or homeless, across East Surrey and Crawley. The support Liz provides helps participants on the project to get closer to, or into work.
For many this is a much longer journey than for others, especially where finding somewhere safe, warm and dry each day may be their biggest priority.
Katrina Rihan joined us in April to continue the work of the Raven Employment programme. Katrina works with tenants and leaseholders to help them get into work after a long, or short time, or to get better-paid work by helping them access support to improve their skills and abilities.
What type of support can you provide?
Liz – As well as providing support such as help writing CVs and job searching skills, we can help people find volunteering placements, and for parents, we can help fund child care costs that might go with this. We also value the importance of exercise, not only for health, but
for mental wellbeing and so we can provide people with a six month membership at the YMCA gym in Redhill.
Many people we work with have had difficult and traumatic experiences, which sometimes contributes to them not being in work. Through our partner ‘Heads Together’ we offer counselling to those participants that want it. This is a really important part of our service, as it helps people work through, and make sense of their experiences, enabling them to build their resilience and feel ready for work.
We also support people withn few, or no qualifications, to get into education through working closely with East Surrey College.
Katrina – The support we provide is tailored to each individual upon assessing the needs and barriers to employment. In general, the barriers tend to be mental or physical health, gaps in employment or no employment history, history of drugs or alcohol addiction and lack of access to childcare outside school hours and holidays.
Raven will offer 1-2-1 support to help reduce or eliminate these barriers by regular meetings, workshops, help with creating a CV, support into a volunteer or work placement, online support, help with job searching and completing application forms, physical and well-being advice and signposting to relevant agencies if required, money management and in work support.
How can someone get involved with the programme?
Liz – Any person aged between 18 - 64, and living in temporary accommodation, or insecure housing, which could include a B&B, hostel, staying with friends or ‘sofa surfing’, can apply for this programme through any support worker. This might be your temporary housing officer, Reigate & Banstead Borough Council, a family support worker or school support worker.
Katrina – Raven customers can self-refer by emailing raven@ravenht.org.uk or calling Raven on 0300 123 3399. Alternately, you can speak to any Raven member of staff and request to be referred to the employment support project. Once the referral has been made, employment support will initiate contact and arrange to meet. Meetings can take place at your home, at Raven’s main office or a local hub.
Elizabeth (Liz) Long
"We work closely with them to build their confidence and help them recognise the value of their informal experience.”
Katrina Rihan
“We often support those who have never worked or have not worked for some time.”
How long can they remain with the programme?
Liz – People can be with the programme as long as they need to, some people only need short-term support, but we do offer long-term support over a number of years for those with significant barriers. We work in a way that is centred on the individual’s needs and pace.
Katrina – A person can remain on the programme for as long as is required for the individual. There is no pressure or time frame set for an individual to be in employment. The individual’s health, work history, skills and qualifications will determine when and if they gain paid employment. The aim is to reach the individual’s full potential at a pace that works best for the person.
Short-term involvement tends to be with individuals who have lost employment and need to find an alternative. They have the work experience, skills, knowledge and confidence. With support of updating their CV, interview skills and filling in application forms, individuals are able to secure employment more quickly.
Medium-term involvement tends to be with individuals who have not worked before, had long gaps in employment or are returning to work after looking after children or other relatives. These individuals benefit from becoming involved in volunteering and attending courses to gain both experience and qualifications.
Long-term involvement tends to be individuals who have medical issues. Illness often affects an individual’s confidence and self-esteem. Support is provided in a sensitive and caring manner, respecting that often leaving the home is a huge barrier. We provide support to build up their confidence and self-esteem, and only then could a work placement or volunteer be sought for them. In time, paid employment can be considered.
Can you support someone who has never worked or not worked for a very long-time?
Liz – Yes, and we do so regularly. At the beginning, people may think ‘I can’t do anything, I have no experience’. We work closely with them to build their confidence and help them recognise the value of their informal experience. Someone who has been caring for a family member or an elderly relative might not realise the value of this experience. Then they start to realise ‘maybe I can’, and confidence builds from there. I’ve been working with someone who left an abusive relationship and felt unable to work for over ten years. We have been working with her to build confidence, take small steps to overcome her anxieties, encouraging her to access services and go on training courses.
Katrina – We often support those who have never worked or have not worked for some time. Usually this tends to be parents, who had to take a career break due to having young children to take care of. In both cases, the support package will look at skills, qualifications and experience they require in order to gain employment in their chosen field.
The action plan will be developed with this in mind, by setting tasks to help reach the end goal. Quite often, an individual will become involved in a volunteer placement that is not in the chosen field, however, this will provide work experience, show levels of commitment and skills will be gained that are required in the working environment. In time with the volunteering experience under their belt, individuals are able to gain employment in their chosen field.
Can you support someone with a disability, including mental health?
Liz – We can and do. I am currently supporting a participant to access the treatment they need through the NHS, helping them find the correct service for them, and supporting them to make appointments.
Katrina - I have worked with a young person who at the beginning of the programme was experiencing high levels of anxiety, struggled with her confidence and felt unable to get involved in activities outside the family home. Due to a speech impairment, she felt she could not socialise or liaise with any professionals and feared being judged or laughed at.
By meeting with a counsellor on a regular basis, she has reduced her anxiety. As her anxiety levels have reduced, her speech has improved, and her confidence has grown and she now has the confidence to socialise with her peers.
With this new found confidence, she has enrolled onto a course, which will help her with her memory and concentration. She currently volunteers for a charity and has completed many in-house courses. The charity she works for supports individuals who have drug or alcohol addictions. Her own journey has enabled her to provide an unbiased, empathetic and non-judgemental approach and she finds the job both fulfilling and rewarding.
Can you help someone with children under school age and who want to work part-time?
Liz – We recognise that finding a job that fits in with the needs of your family is a challenge, particularly for single parents. I work with individuals to find work or training that fits in with family life, and we can support them with childcare costs if needed for a short initial period until they get paid.Katrina – For families on low incomes or where there is only one parent, it is very difficult for the parent to find part-time work which is term-time.
Finances are a key barrier to getting back into employment. However, we have supported many individuals to be resilient and find a way to access employment.
We recently helped a mother of two, with children aged 18 and 3 years, to seek opportunities that would work around her family. She successfully found employment where she starts at 5am in the morning, takes her lunch break around the time her youngest goes to nursery school, so she can take her to nursery and finish work just in time to pick her up. During school holidays, her oldest daughter can look after the youngest.
What is the best thing about your job?
Liz – Seeing clients recognise, that they can do the things they previously thought they could not.
Katrina – We have a great time and I really enjoy getting to know and helping individuals.