Asuria Indigenous participant Patrick hadn't worked in 17 years, and at 56 years old, Patrick felt that his future was looking rather bleak.
At the time, Patrick was juggling being a caregiver for his grandson and while also taking care of himself. With all these factors going on, adding job-seeking to his list of responsibilities broke his spirit.
"I didn't have the confidence to do things, and I just thought I wouldn't find a job," explained Patrick.
Joining our Ballarat Workforce Australia Services in November 2022, Patrick had little hope that Asuria could turn his life around. Patrick didn't have a resume or many computer literacy skills, and after years of unemployment, Patrick quickly felt overwhelmed by it all. Thankfully, Asuria Mentor Mona, knew that breaking the process down into small and achievable goals would help ease Patrick's anxiety.
Mona and the Asuria team started developing his resume and exploring what jobs were available in the Ballarat region to give Patrick a head start on his employment journey. Simultaneously, Mona directed her attention to building a connection with Patrick to help him get his confidence back.
“When I first met Patrick, he came across as a lovely man, but he lacked some confidence in his capabilities. We worked on recognising the positives of having a job, as well helping him to see that his skills, knowledge and personality could make positive contributions to the workforce and to the lives of others," said Mona
After becoming familiar with everyone in the Asuria Ballarat team, the positive energy of the Asuria office seemed contagious, as Patrick felt a positive shift in his mindset after every appointment.
Before long, Patrick was eagerly working to reverse market himself with support from Asuria Employment Experts Brad and Tom, who were excited to assist Patrick in returning to the workforce after a long hiatus.
"Mona gave me the confidence to keep going and to look for jobs. I would come into these marketing meetings with Brad and Tom. They asked me what I was looking for, and I told them I used to drive trucks around. Brad and Tom looked at truck driving jobs straight away, and by January, I had an interview."
Brad and Tom found multiple jobs for Patrick, and to Patrick's surprise, he was successful in not just one job interview, but two! Spoilt for choice, Patrick commenced work with Nunn's Dairy as a delivery driver. To assist him in the role, the Asuria Ballarat team purchased Patrick new work clothes and assisted him in getting his white card.
Now two months into the role, Patrick loves working, as he enjoys driving through Victoria's country towns. For Patrick, having something to do with his day has given him a new sense of purpose.
"I'm doing much better than before because I was sitting at home doing nothing. That was until I came to Asuria, and things started happening nearly straight away, in the first week or so," said Patrick.
Now in a sustainable job, Mona and the team continue to support Patrick as part of our post-placement support. However, in Patrick's case, his visits are a little more frequent, having built such fantastic relationships with everyone at Asuria. Patrick regularly comes into the office to say hello and have a cheeky cup of tea with the team.
"Everybody at Asuria welcomes you. As soon as you walk in the door it's, 'hi, how are you?', and their kindness makes you want to keep coming back. I get there, and they offer me a cup of tea, and they know what I usually have, so as soon as I walk in, someone is up making it for me," said Patrick.
In a few short months, Patrick has completely come out of his shell and is now thriving in a job that makes him feel valued. We love having Patrick visit Asuria Ballarat for a cuppa and a chat, and we wouldn't have it any other way!
If you would like support in finding and keeping a job, click here to learn more about Asuria's Workforce Australia Services.