Clare Levy - Employment Support Worker

My Journey So Far

Welcome to my blog as I take my first steps into being an employment support worker.

I've recently started a new role supporting people with learning disabilities to find paid and voluntary work. It's a job that I have never done before so I’d like to share my journey and learning experiences so far.

Why I Took This Job

I took this job because I wanted to do something practical and people focused.

I’ve always liked the idea of helping people and helping people find employment paid or voluntary is a key part to their independence.

This role will give me the chance to work one to one with people, understand their goals and help them with any challenges. whether its building confidence, developing skills or navigating workplace issues.

There's also a lot of variety to the job and I like that it involves both direct support and working with employers to find the right fit.

First Impressions and learning the role

I spent my first month meeting and getting to know my new team, getting to know the service users, their employers and learning about the different services we offer.

So far, I’ve completed some online training Oliver McGowan, Sexual Harassment and Adult safeguarding. I’ve also completed workplace visits, which has helped me understand the practical side of the role. I have sat in on various meetings and observed how we support with DWP journals, CV writing, applying for positions, supporting with occupational health calls and the general needs of our service users.

I have been mostly observing and listening to my colleague to take everything in. It’s been helpful to see how they work. I am gradually starting to build my confidence.

What I’ve Learned So Far

Patience, observing and listening are very important when learning this job. I’ve been shadowing my colleague on workplace visits and various meetings.  I have really enjoyed watching how they have engaged with the employers but especially with the service users and how we support them.

I have learnt that everyone learns at their own pace and has their own way of communicating. It has been very interesting to observe my colleague deal with not only the everyday issues in the workplace but also some very personal issues.

I didn’t realise how vital voluntary roles can be in building confidence and skills that lead to paid employment.

Personal Challenges 

Right now, the biggest challenge is feeling like I don’t know enough. Every person I meet has different needs and goals. There’s a lot to learn from having a better understanding of different learning disabilities to navigating the job market and voluntary opportunities. But I’m trying to remind myself that I don’t have to know everything straight away, that I will make mistakes but that is how we learn.

Looking Ahead

I’m starting to take the initiative to carry out tasks independently, but I am still observing and learning from my colleague to build confidence and ensure that I am doing things correctly. I feel that I am starting to have a better understanding of the role and will soon be working more independently.