Scott Roberts

Project Worker for Make Trax Crawley

Make Trax – Case Study – Success Story for Crawley Young Person

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

‘Thanks to Barnardo’s, I feel more hopeful about the future’

*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.”

Lee Horner

Ex Child Protection Officer – throughout his career Lee has come across many people, from all walks of life. With his kind and friendly personality Lee is the type of person who is good at listening and helping people deal with any issues they may have. He is a very warm and approachable person who always has time for others.

Make Trax