Read Hazal’s story

Hazal, was employed by a Call Centre, taking repair enquiries. She was working more and more hours than her agreed contract just to meet her targets. She started to run herself into the ground trying to keep up and had to leave her job as she started to feel mentally exhausted. This bad experience had knocked her confidence and she had been unemployed for 2 years. To try and get her confidence back, she started volunteering for a local transport service. She was in an admin role and really enjoying it. Said being with people again helped her confidence so much that she felt she was ready to get back into employment.

Then covid hit and she was laid off from her volunteering role. Hazal said she found herself staying at home all the time and feeling depressed. She felt that she didn’t have a purpose anymore and although she loved being with her children, she needed the routine and structure that having a job provides. She started to become very low, and her anxiety was getting worse, even struggling to go out of the house on her own. She didn’t feel that she’d ever be able to work again.

Finding out about HeadsUp

She saw an advert about getting on a course or work at her local Advice Store. After going in and having a chat, they told her about HeadsUp and how they could support her with her anxieties around finding a course or going back to work. Hazal felt anxious about joining HeadsUp at first, but after her first phone call from her Peer Support Worker (PSW) she was put totally at ease and said, she was amazing. Her PSW helped her to go through the enrolment and she started to feel excited as she’d started the ball moving and it felt great! Talking things through with her PSW really helped her decide if she was going to go on course or get a job. She decided that getting back to work was more important for her and her mental health.

Exploring practical skills

Having a pathway to focus on was helping her anxiety and they started to look at jobs and her skills. Her PSW referred her to a HeadsUp Development Skills Officer (DSO) who worked with her on her CV to identify her transferable skills. They explored Interview skills and how to use the STAR method which many people find really helpful – and Hazal did too.

Hazal said she felt confident to job search and apply for a job. Although she didn’t get the first job she went for, she felt she had done her best at the interview and using the STAR technique helped her to answer questions well. She asked for feedback from the interview, and they said that she interviewed well, but was pipped at the post as the other applicant had more experience. Hazal said she felt pleased with herself and is now confident applying and going for an interview independently.

She didn’t know what to expect from HeadsUp, but it’s provided her with structure and routine as she started physically seeing her PSW every week.

‘My motivation has been really boosted by seeing my PSW in person and just having someone to encourage and guide me.’

And then my confidence started to improve

‘The telephone calls from my DSO were just fantastic! They helped me realise that I have more skills than I thought.’

Finding herself pleasantly shocked that with the help of HeadsUp she’s found a job so quickly working in an admin role, and how quickly her anxiety and low mood has lessened.

Hazal said ‘ I’ll be working for a company called Provide doing bank work as an administration assistant. I think this suits me more as I am in a bit more control over the hours I work and how much I choose to work. I believe this will help build up my confidence & get me used to going back to a full time admin role.

‘I have stopped putting myself down and it makes me feel good. My husband has always been supportive and has definitely seen a change in my motivation’

Hazal said ‘[she is] really proud of herself and will be starting work in March. I’m getting out and about again and feel excited to be working again. I now feel confident to update my current CV with my new job! ‘

She said ‘[she would] recommend HeadsUp to anybody that’s nervous or apprehensive, as it’s not just about getting a job. Attending a resilience and wellbeing workshops boosted my confidence, and I didn’t even know these existed! The workshops made me feel good about myself again!’