Just the Job: Building Confidence and Opportunities

1. Just the Job Our Half Way Event

2. Getting to know each other

3. The monkeys on the trees

4. Our first Social Activity was bowling

5. We loved it so much that we went again!

6. Both times Leo, Jacks supporter, thrashed us all at bowling.

7. Pat

8. ‘I was one of the first members of Just the Job. I'm 46 years old and no one has ever talked to me about employment. I went to a special school and it was just assumed that I would never work. I've never had a paid job’!

9. Kedrh

10. ‘Being unemployed made me feel like I had no confidence and felt very low. Coming to Just the Job gave me an opportunity to meet other people and focus on what I really want to do, in a friendly setting and motivating environment. The club has got me out of the house and back looking at my career and thinking about what I would enjoy doing. It encourages me to apply for work and I use all my skills. I've been coming here for over five months now and I am more confident and more job ready for the workplace. I have improved my CV and seen more chances of work’.

11. Grace

12. When I first came to just the job, I felt confident and comfortable and liked the look of the people, whom I was sure I’d get on well with and maybe make some friends. In some ways it reminded me of when I went to college in 1995, but this time with the right understanding and support, which I didn’t have back then which made things go wrong. This time I felt more like the happy, popular, confident girls I read about in books.

13. We had a great time making pizzas and getting to know each other better at Pizza Express!

14. I have had jobs in the past which I wasn’t really equipped to cope with, even though I appeared to do well at some of them at the time. Because of my lack of diagnosis of autism, and support, this caused excessive hard work and stress to constantly cover my difficulties. I dreaded having to get a job which would cause me too much distress to cope with, but I couldn’t explain this because I was undiagnosed. Grace

15. Pizza Making !

16. Volunteer I have NVQ level 3 in careers guidance, I thought that I couldgive some positive support to the group members. I have found being part of this group has given me a real insight to the barriers toboth volunteering and employment these people face. SUE Sue

17. As a Volunteer at ‘Just the Job’, Disability Sheffield, I witnessed the importance of weekly group activities for people who share similar circumstances. Also, I was able to get to know this group as being an intelligent, friendly and hardworking bunch with an awful lot to offer. Becky Volunteer

18. Some of the things we get up to.. We used online personality tests to help us build a good CV We looked at different roles, skills and qualities

19. We built a time line of all the jobs we have done in our lives

20. We employed the Twitter Sitter to show us some social media techniques

21. We brought objects in and talked about things we like to do

22. Julie came and gave us information on filling in applications

23. Sheffield Business Enterprise came

24. Paul I Have always suffered from low self – confidence and I have never completely trusted peoples opinion of me , especially if they are pointing out my good points, skills or achievements. Since joining Just The Job I am gradually learning to accept it.

25. Paul The kindness and understanding I have received from Kathryn as well as the rest of the group, have provided me with the type of atmosphere I need to be me.

26. Lisa and Janice

27. Craig

28. ‘I met Kathryn on the recovery education project that I was attending and I wasn’t well at all. Every day was a struggle. I didn’t care about anything and had very bad thoughts. I had my own business and was successful. I think I had a breakdown. Im only just able to start thinking about some sort of work. Kathryn has helped me get my benefits sorted because that was causing me so much stress it was making me worse. Now its sorted I can start to think about doing a bit of work and trying to get back to normal. I never want to be that stressed again with work though’.

29. Robert

30. ‘Just the Job has added multiple arrows to my quiver’ Robert W

31. Jack

32. Jennifer

33. We went disabled cycling in Hillsborough park

34. We have visited different places of employment

35. We got healthy with Activity Sheffield

36. From Boccia to Table Tennis…

37. George and Kathryn (staff)

38. What we think! I'm the Employer Engagement Worker on Just The Job. I work with local businesses to create opportunities for members and love to spread good message about disability employment across the city. The response has been great and I've seen a change in attitude around employing disabled people - George I love the facilitating ‘Just the Job’, I've never run a project like this before and its brilliant in every way. I've seen peoples confidence grow over the months and even the smallest change for some people is a big thing – Kathryn

39. Lynn

40. I love coming to the job club, it gives me something to do and Think about other than my dogs. I want to work in a shop as I know I’m good at it!

41. We've all made friends here!

42. Just the Job is a really positive learning experience. It provides opportunities to transfer some of the skills I’ve developed through play into work situations. we learn about choices, opportunities and support regarding work. I used to feel the job market was black and white, i.e. ability to work would be perceived as being too able for support (which is essential) I now have a better idea of possibilities such as supply work, which may suit me as an individual. Grace