Back-Up to Work
Back-Up to Work Course
9-11th November 2010, London
To register your interest email
100 per cent of the participants in 2009 felt more positive about their future
after the course.
“The course has given me perseverance, determination and the motivation to actively start looking for work experience and training.”
Joanne, 25
Helen Cooke, director and founder of My Plus Consultancy, who is spinally injured herself, will lead the training course again this year. Helen works with a vast array of companies advising them on how to overcome the challenges and issues they face around the employment of disabled people and how to tap into this often overlooked pool of talented individuals. Helen will be able to talk to you about specific issues including how best to declare your spinal injury and what support you can expect from employers.
“The course has given me the knowledge to reassess my career to date and allow me to make a more informed decision about my future.”
Andy (course participant 09)
“The speed interviewing really boosted my confidence.”
Trish (course participant 09)
Course content is subject to change dependent on the needs of participants, however below is an idea of what you can expect.
Day One:
This day will focus on practical tips that will get you on the way to finding jobs that suit you and your skills. The day will include:
- identifying your strengths and skills
- writing a great CV or application form
- preparing for interviews
Day Two:
During the second day you will consolidate your learnings by putting them into practice in a safe environment. In addition to hearing how other disabled people have successfully found employment, Day Two provides the opportunity for you to try out your interview skills.
But don’t worry about the accommodation and transport! As part of the course, accommodation and transport will also be included.
Contact Ally or Catherine for more information on: 0208 875 1805 or email .
"Back-Up helped me get back to work"
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Andy Adamson sustained a T5 complete spinal cord injury in August 2008. Prior to his injury he was a water engineer in Scotland and he knew he wanted to get back to work as soon as possible. Here he explains how with Back-Up’s support he found full-time employment and fulfilment.
"Work was such an important part of my life before I had my injury – both the social side and the chance to engage my brain. I didn’t want to get too stale or forget how to operate in a working environment so I knew I wanted to return to work as soon as I could.
"I went on Back-Up’s Back Up to Work Course to help me hone the skills I needed to find a job, such as improving my interview technique and writing my CV. I also wanted to hear from people with spinal cord injuries who were in employment to find out how they did it and what it was like. I met some really inspirational people who proved that it was possible and gave me the determination to do the same.
"The course helped me identify some of the skills I already had. For example, in previous jobs I had been able to speak to people from all walks of life and get on with them, but this wasn’t a skill I had ever thought to put on my CV. The course helped me to sell myself more in that way.
"I started volunteering in The Back-Up office which boosted my confidence. Then, after a few months, I got in touch with the Olympic Delivery Authority and started volunteering there too. I knew that a role was coming up at the ODA and I had a good chance of getting it through my voluntary work.
"After five months I was offered the paid role of Visits Co-ordinator, for the visitors programme – taking stakeholders and members of the public on bus tours of the Olympic site. The role was later expanded and I’m now working full-time and enjoying every minute of it. I couldn’t have done it without Back-Up though!"
Work is Good for You
According to Professor Mansel Aylward, from the Unum Centre for Psychosocial and Disability Research, it’s not just your bank balance that benefits when you find employment. He said:
"Work is good for us. Not only is it the best way out of poverty, but it has positive health and social consequences. Being out of work may be considered one of the major public health challenges in Western society; it carries the same health risk as a heavy smoker and is as dangerous as many high risk occupations".
"80% of people who have been out of work for six months or more will never return to work so early intervention is important.Many common health problems can be then managed so that long term incapacity is not inevitable."
Taken from "Work is good for You", dated June 15, 2007. To read the full article, click here
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