When 21 year old Olivia (name changed for anonymity) signed up for CYA’s First Steps to Employment programme, she was ready for a change. After studying hair and beauty at college and working in retail for three years, she had lost her job and wanted to explore something different.
She’d always liked the idea of working in office administration, but didn’t have direct experience. Living in a rural area with limited public transport made it harder to take opportunities when they came up.
Practical support
With funding from Cumbria Community Foundation, Cumbria Youth Alliance helped remove one of the barriers straight away — we arranged a block of 10 driving lessons so Olivia could begin working towards her licence. That extra bit of independence would make applying for jobs a lot more realistic.
We also worked with Olivia to rework her CV, focusing on transferable skills from her retail and college experience, and helped her apply for admin roles and placements.
Getting experience
Olivia secured a place on the Morgan Sindall six-week work experience programme, which gave her hands-on experience in an admin setting. She made a strong impression on the section managers from day one.
"She is a joy to work with, shows a real passion for administration and is my star." - Section Manager, Morgan Sindall
Moving forward
After completing the programme, Olivia was offered a full-time permanent role with a different local company. She continues to do well there and is now looking to work towards a Level 4 admin qualification as her next step.
From uncertainty to a new career path, this journey shows how small bits of support, tailored to real-life barriers, can help young people move forward with confidence.