David’s journey to café confidence

Tameside resident David is ready to find his next paid job after gaining valuable volunteering experience in a local café with support from the Routes to Work team.

David Reynolds like many residents with a disability hasn’t had a conventional work journey but the Routes to Work team has helped him get back on the right road to finding the job that he wants. Having a disability can be an additional barrier to finding work which means that some residents need may need a helping hand to find their place in the working world.

David is one of those residents, who was at a cross roads following a period of time out of work and wanted to refresh his skills and boost his confidence so contacted the team for support.

Having held various roles in the past, David was keen to start a new journey to help him find the right job but was unsure what he could do and what would suit the skills he’d already acquired.

With one to one support from our Employment Officer Abi, David explored a number of new opportunities in catering, and after consideration decided to volunteer at the ‘League of Friend’s Café based in Tameside Hospital. And in a very short amount of time he has accomplished so much! His confidence and ability to talk to people has come on leaps and bounds.

David is really positive about his experience and said “I enjoy volunteering in the café. It gets me out of the house and keeps me active. It has given me purpose and I enjoy working with the team. It has given me so many new skills and I feel so much more confident speaking with customers now.”

David’s Manager at the cafe Pat also can see the difference it’s made to him and added:
“David is doing brilliantly and always keeps himself busy. He actively looks for work to do and he is a great asset to the team. He is always presentable and wants to please and do the best job he can. He is very helpful and we are glad to have him working with us.”

David’s Employment Support Worker agrees and proudly said “David is doing so well and the team are so proud of his accomplishments. He has gained so much confidence and it’s so lovely to see.”

If you would like support or to find out more about the Routes to Work team please contact 0161 342 2400 or visit www.tameside.gov.uk/supportedemployment.