‘How I got a job after prison’
WHEN HE LEFT JAIL – UNTIL A WORK COACH STEPPED IN TO HELP
AFTER struggling for a year to find work Jamie Paterson began to think his prison record would stop him from mess this up.” Jamie served 20 months in jail for possession pid – now I realise having a job with a career is the better thing to do. And I want to make my mum
Jamie was introduced to Work Coach Lynsey at the Kilmarnock jobcentre after he applied for Universal Credit. She supported his job search by providing him with ideas and opportunities. “Lynsey gave me hope that all was not lost,” says Jamie. “She kept me positive and motivated.” Recommended by Lynsey as part of the Kickstart scheme, which helps the under-25s on Universal Credit into work, Jamie first applied for the role of assembly operative at Angel Guard, a company which develops products that help prevent patient infections in hospitals – including the world’s first clinical washbasin with AI technology. After two weeks it was clear Jamie had the skills to do more and he was promoted to team leader. “I’m confident. I talk to people and make sure they’re doing alright. I think that’s what they saw,” says Jamie. “I also put in extra hours, I was first in and last out. I was chuffed to be made team leader. I’ve got a career path now and I’d like to progress. I
I want my life to be very different from the one I had. I’ve got a career now, I’d like to progress, and make my mum and dad proud
want my life to be very different from the one I would have had if I’d kept on doing what I was doing.”
Angel Guard owner and operations director Elaine Waggott is full of praise for her new employee: “Jamie is gregarious. He’s got a lovely personality and a great attitude. We believe that people deserve a second chance. If you are going to write someone off at the age of 22, what hope have they got?
“Kickstart has created a really exciting time for us as we mentor those in the scheme – we use our experience to help them begin to discover who they are as people and how they can relate to others in a work environment. I think that this scheme is something that, if approached by employers in the spirit of flexibility, responsibility and open-mindedness, could create a workforce of confident, capable and driven young people. I feel very privileged to be a part of it.” The UK Government has worked with the Scottish Government to develop a range of job support programmes, such as Kickstart, which run in addition to existing support offered by the Scottish Government.