When an Employment Specialist first meets a young person, the first step is to find out what kind of placement would suit them. Skills, strengths and areas of interest are identified, as well as goals and aspirations - all crucial in finding the perfect match.

For Jack, his goal for 2023 was to gain full time employment as an Administrator - within just 2 months he had accomplished his ambition! 

 

Here is Jack’s Supported Employment story…

 

Jack's first placement in an office did not work out as the organisation did not have any paid opportunities available. However, Jack remained positive and patient as he waited for a second placement. 

bemix Employment Engagement Lead, Mark, posted a request on LinkedIn for administrative opportunities in Medway. Mark was contacted by Business Improvement Director, Misia, from Envirocure. Envirocure specialise in air and water hygiene, providing services across the United Kingdom. The Envirocure headquarters are in Rochester in Kent and a second office is based in Scotland. Misia had an opportunity available within the Envirocure admin team. 

Jack met with the team and it was clear that this would be a great job match. Soon after, Jack embarked on the next step of his Supported Employment journey!

 

 

Initially, Jack began by working 3 days a week, between the hours of 9am and 2pm. Within a couple of weeks Jack’s work hours increased and support from his Employment Specialists decreased, as he became more comfortable and integrated within the team.   

Jack's main duties include scanning, data input, managing email inboxes, processing and collating information and general administrative duties. His enthusiasm for new tasks, sharp focus and attention to detail, impressed his employers and co-workers at Envirocure. Within just 2 months of working, Jack was offered a full time and permanent administrator role. 

"Jack made a great impression from his first day with his willingness to give anything a go. The range of tasks he completes has increased and he takes pride in all he does, wanting to do a great job. His work ethic is excellent. We saw the asset Jack would be to our team which is why we offered him a permanent, full time role." Misia Taylor, Business Improvement Director.

 

 

With determination to accomplish his goals, hard work and keen focus, Jack has proved himself to be a valuable member of the team and importantly, an asset to the organisation. Jack's career is off to a fantastic start!

"I got a good start in an earlier placement to understand what the workplace was like.  But now at Envirocure, it feels good to have achieved a paid job where I can earn money in the real world. The support at bemix has been pretty good, better than expected." Jack Knell

The skills, interests and ambitions of a young person are at the heart of a successful placement.  The role of bemix Employment Specialists is to align the qualities of a young person with the specific needs of a business. Once an initial business need has been met, employers find additional, and sometimes unexpected, rewards. Interns contribute a diverse range of skills, share fresh ideas and have the potential to boost the morale of an entire team or organisation. Supported Employment provides access to a largely untapped and talented local workforce. 

Our vision is that every person should be valued as an individual and fully included within the workplace. With an opportunity to demonstrate their value, and the right support, a young person can thrive in their role and achieve their goals. With bemix Supported Employment, businesses across Kent are growing and reporting positive outcomes, time and again. Businesses like Envirocure, who have the vision to see the value in everyone! 

 

"It feels good to have achieved a paid job where I can earn money in the real world." - Jack

 

If you are a young person looking to make the journey from education into employment, find information about our Supported Employment programmes, click here.

If you are an organisation looking for more information about how your business can be involved in Supported Internships, click here.

For more Good News Stories about Supported Employment, click here.