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Starting Line video transcript
Erin: My name is Erin Maltas and I have Aspergers syndrome. I started looking for work when I left college. When I was at the job centre I had a meeting with my work coach, she put me on the phone and that's how I got to find out about Starting Line and that how I got on to the programme.
Starting Line is good because you get to meet people in a similar situation to you. When you get knocked down a lot your confidence goes and you start feeling really alone and isolated. It seemed like they actually did care and it helped me. It did help me get my confidence higher up.
Andy: The service is a 7-week programme, delivering 14 modules. The modules are 3 and a half hours each. We run 2 modules a week and it's all aimed at helping people who live our area to get back into work, or help them progress in their chosen direction.
Erin: You get help with your interview skills, legal stuff about interviews and what they're technically not allowed to ask you and when you're filling out applications, what you don't have to say. It does boost up your confidence quite a lot which is probably the main thing that I learnt.
Narrator: Starting Line involves, group training as well as one-to-one support, sessions 2 mornings a week for 7 weeks and are located in London, Leeds and Calderdale only.
Find out how we can support you to get into, stay and progress in work.
Starting Line: pre-employment training
Starting Line is a pre-employment training programme for disabled people at the start of their journey into work. We will work with you to develop a programme around your career goals and how you can achieve them.
Due to the Coronavirus outbreak, sessions will be run online or by phone until further notice.
Eligibility
Starting Line is free and open to people who are:
- disabled or have an impairment or condition
- living in Calderdale, Greater Manchester, Leeds and London (if you live in Wales, you can apply to Working on Wellbeing)
- aged 16 and over
Training and one to one support
Starting Line will support you to:
- grow in confidence, assertiveness and independence
- develop your interview skills
- find volunteering, training or employment opportunities
- talk about disability in the workplace
Training sessions will usually be:
- up to 2 hours long
- held 2 times a week for 7 weeks
- one to one with your employment adviser or in groups
Sessions are held over the phone and online. We can provide adjustments if you need them, such as British Sign Language video interpretation or live chat.
Starting Line customerEverything was done in a friendly and relaxed manner with great support given to help me with a CV, interview skills and find me voluntary work in a sector I would never have thought about. The course helped me overcome my fear of travelling on public transport and gave me the confidence I was lacking to move forward into looking for full-time work.
Working with local employers
We want to help local businesses employ more disabled people. Please contact us to find out more.
Funding for Starting Line in Leeds
Starting Line in East and South Leeds is partly funded by the European Structural and Investment Funds.
