Exploring the power of the partnership with Karen, she shared, “The partnership between The JOBS Project and FIRST worked beautifully. It was proactive and organic and that really worked for the young people. It was great to work with an organisation with similar values: of hope and looking to the future and treating everyone as individuals.”
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Name of Client: ‘Marvin’ Shares his experience of the Make Trax programme
*Name has been changed to protect the identity of the young person
Date Consent signed: 25/04/25
Project Worker: Scott Roberts
*Marvin shares his experience of getting support from our Make Trax project, which has helped him into employment.
“When I graduated from university after studying accounting and finance, I had high hopes of finding an office job in a company and starting a career,” Marvin begins. “Like a lot of young people, I went to university because I thought it would improve my employment prospects. I knew finding a relevant job wouldn’t be easy, but I don’t think I was prepared for how difficult it would be.
“I’m from a family that knows the importance of working, so I’ve always felt the need to contribute and have a job – even if it isn’t exactly the one I want to be doing.”
After graduation, Marvin found a job working at a fast-food outlet, but the job became horrendous when one of the managers started bullying him. They would criticise everything he did and shout at him. It became such a toxic environment that Marvin would dread coming to work.
One day it became all too much. Marvin left his job at the fast-food outlet and visited his local job centre in the hope of finding work. “When that type of thing happens to you early on in your working career, it really does shatter your confidence,” he explains. “I started receiving Universal Credit and was referred to Barnardo’s Make Trax.
“The support I was getting from the job centre wasn’t consistent enough to help me get close to finding a job, and some of the meetings felt more like tick-box exercises,” Marvin says. “I appreciated the financial support, but I believe there is a fundamental flaw in the system.
“Barnardo’s Make Trax helped me to develop my confidence and strengthen my employability skills. Scott, my project worker, supported me with CV writing and interview preparation. It meant I became more self-assured and willing to step out of my comfort zone.”
Scott says, “When I started working with Marvin in January, I was quickly impressed with his professionalism and determination. His CV was already strong, and I knew he just needed a bit of confidence and encouragement to know that it was possible for him to get a job that more reflected his skill set, experience and ability. He was able to get that in March and is now working as an operations analyst at a utilities company.”
“My new job is going well, and I feel I’m back in the real world of work and having a routine,” Marvin replies. “My employer is very supportive, and I’m enjoying learning new skills. I would never have thought of applying for this job if it hadn’t been for Barnardo’s. Scott encouraged me to go for it and really believed I would get through the interview. This job is a good stepping stone for me to develop a career that’s more related to finance and accounting, and I am grateful for the support and guidance.
“I feel it’s important to have someone who is positive and hopeful about your prospects and is willing to meet up with you to discuss your progress and general well-being. It’s like having a supportive teacher or manager who really wants you to succeed and is thinking outside the box and giving good suggestions.
“Without Barnardo’s, I think I still would be unemployed or aiming for jobs on the lower end of what Scott believed I was capable of. One of the key benefits of Barnardo’s Make Trax is the continued support they provide even after you transition into employment or education.
“When you feel stuck and you don’t have a support network, it can be hard to see yourself getting out of being unemployed. You don’t have confidence in yourself, but supportive people like Barnardo’s can guide and encourage you.
“Before Barnardo’s, I lacked the confidence to pursue an office job, but my life has changed significantly in a short time. I’ve gone from being unemployed to working full-time in a matter of months and feeling a lot more hopeful about the future.”
Sam is 24 year old Brighton resident who has been working with Make Trax for a year, he finished his A levels in 2020 and has since provided some free-lance work in editing.
He joined Make Trax to have 1:1 support with moving into work as he was feeling isolated and was at a crossroads of choosing which career path he would follow, yet feeling the pressure of moving into employment asap.
Upon meeting he wanted to move into either a Plumbing or Media Apprenticeship. As we worked together looking at short and long term aspirations, Sam has established his passion for working within the Production Sector, which was affirmed due to a wonderful opportunity of work experience at Middlechild.
As part of all the work Sam has done through the Make Trax programme, the Middlechild connection has been transformative for him and has even lead to occasional paid work.
Name of Client: ‘Brooke’ written entirely by them
Date Consent signed: 12/12/24
Project Worker: Kat Last
Since working with Make Trax, and specifically Kat, I feel I’ve improved so much mentally in regard to professional development, and my own personal confidence. With the work we did, I feel as though my future goals are reachable and not just ‘nice ideas’. The structure of the meetings worked so well within my life, the chats we were able to have left my head feeling less scrambled. I don’t feel as though my personal and professional self are two different people anymore, I feel like one confident person. While there were bumps in the road and I haven’t gotten on to a farm at the end of this program, I have stepped into a job that I really enjoy and it doesn’t add any extra stress to my life and I feel fulfilment from it. We dealt really well with the annoyance of Plumpton, while on the outside it seemed like a bright star that appeared from the mists, it soon turned out to be just air pollution. Despite this, and in the past I would have considered this an end to my goals, Kat and I worked through this and found other options that I was happy with.
Kat also connected me with Dara from Amaze, we worked together to create a reasonable adjustments template so I feel more confident in expressing adjustment I may need due to my mental health and neurodivergence. Kat and I did lots of things together, we made a colour chart for my moods so it was easier to explain to Kat how I was feeling, without all the heavy words. Since working together, I have been able to consider myself vulnerable, which is a word I never ever intended to use to describe myself, but working with Kat I know it’s not a bad thing.
Kat never pushed me; they were always honest – it was exactly what I needed. I do struggle to connect to people sometimes, and Kat made me feel so comfortable, and allowed me to be vulnerable. Because of this, I think the work we did together is some of the most beneficial work I’ve ever done in my young adult life. I will genuinely always remember the things Kat said to me.
I’ve been in and out of services for a long while, I know what works for me and what doesn’t, and this did. I was sceptical at the start, but while we did my risk assessment, I knew I was going to be respected, spoke to honestly and never pressured or pushed down a road I didn’t want to go. I was able to believe in myself as a person, I am valuable, honest, organised, curious any many more things.
In unprofessional terms, Kat is a G, and Make Trax is a sound program. Big up to Kat, one of the soundest people on the planet and one of the best people I’ve ever met! Genuinely, thank you.
I offer no improvements or suggestions; I am content with this service and the time provided.
#NAW2025 #Apprenticeships #Careers #workingtogether #Barnardos #childcarecareers #employapprentices
#NAW2025 #Apprenticeships #Careers #workingtogether #Barnardos #employapprentices
#NAW2025 #Apprenticeships #Careers #workingtogether #Barnardos #childcarecareers #employapprentices
Megan took an apprenticeship in Level 2 Adult care, resulting in a job in the industry.
#NAW2025 #Apprenticeships #Careers #workingtogether #Barnardos
Employers speak about their experience with Barnardo’s Apprenticeships Programme
Ben, who was an apprentice Painter and Decorator, came second in the young builder of the year awards!
