Angus, a young carer who was disengaged from education with health conditions including ADHD, anxiety, depression, and insomnia has taken the first steps on his career journey. With the support of Health Works for Cornwall he has achieved English and Maths Functional skills and a Level 3 Emergency First Aid qualification.

When Angus signed up to the HWC project, he had been disengaged from education and had been home educating himself. Angus had a number of health conditions that affected his day to day life. Angus and his younger sibling were also classed as young carers and at times were required to support their Mum. Angus identified that there were skills that he would benefit from focusing on alongside, gaining his basic skills, such as planning his time and his eating and sleeping habits.

Angus had goals and the focus was to support him on the first step of that journey by gaining some qualifications. Angus was advised by his Change Coach of his local adult education centre and with Angus’s agreement and consent, his Change Coach arranged an initial assessment, then with this in place and arrangements made for him to start his Maths and English, Angus and his Change Coach turned to focus on employability skills, starting with him setting up his own email address, writing a CV and job search activities. Angus’s long term goal was to join the police and with this in mind, his Change Coach was able to advise on and explore with Angus local college courses. Angus had some hesitancy around this and did not feel ready to commit, so his Change Coach re-focused on ensuring that Angus had all the personal support he required to focus on his Maths and English.

Angus was supported through the HWC project to gain a first aid qualification, which was a real sense of achievement and a useful qualification to have gained for future employment opportunities.  Angus was also supported to gain his provisional driving licence, which will be a beneficial form of photographic identification when starting in employment. Angus exits the project, having gained a level 3 award in emergency first aid at work, a functional skills in English qualification and a functional skills in Maths qualification. Angus has also gained a provisional driving licence, which will support him to be able to learn to drive but also be a useful form of photographic identification.

Angus said, “This project is brilliant, and I would recommend it to anyone, it has been a blast and was really nice meeting new people and gaining new skills. It has helped with my social anxiety and anxiety around conversations, people and groups.”

The Health Works for Cornwall project is part funded by the European Social Fund, with Cornwall Council being principal match funders.  The aim of the project to support 5500 residents of Cornwall and the Isles of Scillies, who are out of work and have a health-related barrier to employment to move closer towards or into employment.