"Excellent Support from Employment Specialist"

I have been supported for the last 6 months by my employment specialist and she has gone above and beyond what I expected. I had been under the services of different employment specialists in the past but was let down multiple times so did not have a high expectation. However, I would now recommend the service to others as it has been hugely beneficial to myself.

I work full-time in an office-based job for the NHS and have mental health problems which can be exacerbated by the lack of support in my role. I have been referred to their OH department multiple times and have had to take a fair amount of time off sick due to stress induced declines in my mental health. Kelly was very supportive in trying to help me identify any possible workplace adaptations that may be useful to adopt, to reduce the stress of my job. She has also been able to discuss different workplace issues that have occurred and different possible solutions to overcome them.

My work has also gone through a re-structure and Kelly has provided useful information, support and encouragement throughout the process which has resulted in me achieving a higher paid position with better benefits. I have also been able to explore other career options so that I do not feel trapped within my current role and know that I can progress to other forms of employment in the future if I so wish.

Furthermore, Kelly has gone above and beyond to support me such as providing information on different job roles, suggesting useful workplace adaptations, providing emotional support and suggesting other services which may be able to help further, has supported my interest in further learning such as suggesting courses and volunteering opportunities to gain new skills and providing information for financial support for my household due to the current covid-19 pandemic when we had to self-isolate. I have really appreciated the service that I have and am currently receiving as it has helped me deal with a number of workplace issues and worries that I have been experiencing this year.