Zach's perspective of inclusive employment at the East of England Co-op
When Zach left college, he was anxious about what his next steps would be. His mother contacted ECL to try and find out what opportunities were available for Zach to help him discover his sense of purpose and boost his confidence.
With the support of Beth Durling, Inclusive Employment Team Manager, Zach was able to find paid employment with the East of England Co-op. Almost a year on, Zach’s confidence has soared and he is thoroughly enjoying working life.
Beth and Zach worked together initially to explore what type of work interested him and what skills he required. Beth helped Zach explore training courses and work placements that would build on his skills and give him the experience he needed.
Beth’s role extended beyond job placement. When she first met Zach he was anxious and withdrawn, Beth played a crucial part in boosting Zach’s confidence.
Zach has come such a long way. When I first met him, he didn’t want to go out much. He was very anxious, so we started from the very beginning and took a phased approach.
We looked at courses that he would be interested in and could do at the Prince’s Trust. We then moved on to work placements like gardening and working outdoors and even though he was nervous, he took those leaps and benefitted hugely. Every time he did a course you could see his confidence starting to develop.
With Beth’s continued guidance and encouragement, Zach went on to secure a fulfilling, paid job as a Customer Service Assistant with the East of England Co-op.
Zach is thoroughly enjoying working life. His favourite aspect of the job is helping the people that he interacts with daily, including regular customers and colleagues.
Zach’s typical workdays begins with a morning talk with his manager, Oliver Buckland, who outlines his daily responsibilities. These mainly involve ensuring that the shop shelves and fridges are filled and tidy.
Due to his progress, Zach no longer needs as much support from Beth. Beth commented, “Zach has done very well! We still have job coaches that work alongside Zach, and we have a catch-up every couple of weeks just to check in and address any needs or concerns that may arise.
We also keep in contact with the East of England Co-op so that we can help with any training or development that may be needed.”
Zach credits starting work for improving his confidence and helping him manage his anxiety, which has made it possible for him to embrace new challenges such as learning to drive and travelling.
Zach admits that learning to drive is a nerve-wracking, but manageable task. He aspires to save-up and buy a car and has even mentioned exploring the idea of becoming a delivery driver for the East of England Co-op further down the line.
He also recently embarked on a journey of personal growth by travelling abroad alone to visit his aunt. He said: “I went on a ferry alone to The Netherlands to visit my aunty. I felt really proud of myself, and it felt like I overcame another hurdle.
Beth’s support has helped me to achieve that. Everything that she has done has given me a boost of confidence.”