When Joshua came to EPIC Assist (EPIC) Launceston he was looking for a little extra support finding employment. At first, he was incredibly shy. It was clear he was lacking confidence and was not optimistic about his job prospects.
After a few appointments with his Employment Consultant, Lollita, he began to open up and share his experience with mental health, his goals for the future and what anxieties he had about getting back into the workforce.
Lollita worked closely with Joshua to not only to find meaningful employment but also taught him strategies to overcome his anxieties and how to build confidence.
“EPIC helped me find my confidence and to be more optimistic about finding work after being unemployed for a significant amount of time,” said Joshua.
“Lollita was very understanding of my situation and knew the type of work that would be sustainable for me.”
Since Joshua has such a strong desire to help his community it was agreed that the aged care sector is a natural fit for him. Soon after, Lollita approached Jodie, the CEO of Freedom Home Care, and secured Joshua a four-week trial at the company to see if he could handle the industry’s pressure.
Within the first two weeks of work experience, Joshua had progressed from filing documents to answering phones and completing file notes.
Jodie was blown-away by how quickly he settled in and knew then and there that he was going to be an amazing fit for their company.
“After seeing his enthusiasm and desire to fit in and be a part of the team I soon realised that he has the potential to really grow into a role here,” said Jodie.
Each week Jodie sat down with Joshua to check-in on how he was handling things and ensure that the job was not impacting his mental health.
By the end of the four-week work experience, it was clear to Jodie what she needed to do—she happily offered Joshua an ongoing position and made him an official part of the team.
Jodie admits that when Lollita first approached her she was uncertain it would be the right fit as she had been struggling to run her office efficiently due to difficulty with staff. But after witnessing Joshua’s work ethic and potential, any uncertainty was gone.
“I am grateful that Lollita introduced us to Joshua. If it wasn’t for EPIC we would not have Joshua and therefore would be without a key player who contributes so much to our positive office culture,” said Jodie.
Joshua has now been working at Freedom Home Care for almost six months, averaging thirty-five hours a week. His administration role boasts an exciting variety of duties including offsite initial appointments, liaising with new clients, organising client care, rostering employees and handling complaints.
Joshua has continued to develop professionally and is thriving in his role—an impressive effort for someone who has not worked in the aged care industry before.
“He has developed an excellent rapport with staff and clients and continues to excel in his position. His ability to deal with complaints and do so with the best outcome in mind is a credit to him,” said Lollita.
Here at EPIC, we take pride in being there for our participants every step of the way. Finding a job is not the end of the employment journey, and Lollita continues to regularly call Joshua to catch up and see if there is any additional support he needs.
Joshua is now working towards his next career goal of becoming a permanent part-time staff member.
If like Joshua you are looking for extra support finding long-lasting, meaningful employment contact EPIC today.
