Are you unemployed with a disability and keen to find work? Our experienced Birmingham based team can provide an individual programme of support, training, work experience and job coaching. This can be day or residential.

When you join us as a client of advance2work our team of experienced trainers, employment consultants and mentors will help you move towards full-time employment and a successful future.

Your Personal Employment Programme (PEP) will be unique for you. It will bring together the support, skills development, work experience and job search which will greatly improve your chances of finding and getting the job you want.

Your Employment Consultant will work closely with you throughout your programme and will understand your employment history and current situation. They will work with you to identify the skills and experience you need and the type of work that is right for you.

Once you are in employment the advance2work team will provide help, advice and support throughout the early weeks of your new career. This can include a telephone advice line, working with your employer to ensure things go smoothly, or just someone to chat with about the way things are going.

We will support you in finding ways to manage your disability effectively at work. We can also offer help and advice on the technology you may need in the workplace, your travel to work, benefits and Access to Work entitlement. Our aim is to put you in a better financial position through employment.

In addition to the great support, advice, experience and training that you receive from advance2work there are other benefits.

While you are on your programme and for your first month in employment, you will have free use of our Feelgood Fitness Centre, library and computers at QAC, including free Internet access.

advance2work will also provide access to:

• A qualified medical team
• Counselling service
• Personal fitness trainer
• Speech and language therapist
• Orientation and mobility tutor
• Benefits adviser
• Educational psychologist

Your Personal Employment Programme can be your passport to a successful new career – why wait, call advance2work now on 0800 234 6859

Training workshop opportunities include:

• Matching yourself to job descriptions and specification
• Preparing for interviews
• Team building
• Interview rehearsal (selling yourself)
• CV writing and job applications
• Careers Guidance
• Time management
• Developing coping strategies for employment
• Training linked to the area of employment you wish to work in
• Telephone techniques
• Effective personal communication
• Using numbers
• Information technology development in a range of software applications
• Using the Internet
• E-mail
• Assertiveness and confidence building

We are also able to offer the following externally accredited qualifications:

• Food Hygiene
• First Aid
• Health & Safety
• Manual Handling
• Fork Lift Truck Training
• Word Processing
• Audio Transcription
• Information Technology
• Microsoft Certified Desktop Support
• COMPTIA A+ Essential
• Portable Appliance Testing
• NEBOSH & IOSH - Health and Safety qualifications

Letter from a recent A2W client

My background employment was working in a prison.  After suffering from stress and depression for a number of years, it began to get more severe and I was unable to cope with every day life.  I was diagnosed with Bipolar and, with the help of psychiatrists, put on the relevant medication.  My mood increased and I started to look forward to becoming ‘NORMAL’ again.

I asked to be put forward for a ‘coping with depression’ group.  After speaking with the mental health nurses they gave me a number for a Disability Employment Advisor at my local Job Centre.  I phoned for an appointment and that’s where it all started to get exciting.

I had made a decision that to go back to my previous employment would not be a good idea, so I was going to need retraining.  I have always been interested in Chiropody and Podiatry, so started to ask questions about courses.  The only college around this area doing the course I needed was in Birmingham.  But they would not accept me due to my mental heath problems and the fact that all my qualifications are out of date, (the way they spoke was as if my O Levels were pre-historic).

I found a similar course in Blackheath in the Black Country.  This was not so intense, would accept me and sounded just what I wanted.  The downfall was that it would cost £2,000.  I was on benefits; no way could I find that amount.  I thought I would have to forget my dream.

It was then that my DEA introduced me to QAC.  I came to meet the Advance2work team and explained my position. They asked what other learning requirements I needed.  I had a word with the Benefits Advisor, who put my mind at rest about my individual money worries.  They promised to get in touch with the Foot Health Practitioner Clinic, look at what they had to offer, if the accreditation was as good as it made out to be and if the course was worth the money.

When I heard back from them and the answer was ‘Yes’, my course would be funded, I was over the moon.  I had my start date and off I went.  I was very nervous, excited and anxious at the same time and my timetable was full of subjects I told them I may need to update.  So not only am I doing the training wanted, but I am also bringing all my other skills into the Twenty First Century.  All the tutors are so friendly and helpful remembering everyone’s name, the food is free and nutritious, I receive help with my expenses to get here and my benefits have stayed the same so no worries there.

I have recently completed Health and Safety, Manual Handling and First Aid courses, all in addition to my practitioner course.  I have full use of the facilities, library, computer equipment plus more, more than I ever could have wished for.  The support I receive is fantastic and I am very grateful.

I have started to turn my life around with the help of QAC.  I have made many friends and look forward to each day.