DS can't find a job. What about the gap now?

[Candleab]

DS is 19. Had a very bad time mental health wise, all managed at home as GP was useless and he's a bloke so wouldn't engage (private therapy)
Our family suffered a very stressful time whilst he was at college, a really bad event.

He left college at the end of his first year with no As levels.

He got a job which he enjoyed for a while but the environment wasn't great and so he lined up another job through a friend and handed his notice in.

The job fell through.

This was in November of last year.

He's been applying but just got nowhere.

Just retail jobs, customer service etc... But the previous job wa sin a completely different field so he has no retail experience.

It's been months now and I'm on disability benefits and I didn't want him to be in benefits so I've just been funding him out of my money but turns out I've been paying extra rent every month because he's a non dependant and was still down as working. My rents gone up.

I don't know what to do, he has been applying. I've sat with him many times whilst he sends off applications but nothing. Not even an interview.

He has no friends. He doesn't leave the house.

I'm just so worried and now there's a big gap in his employment too on his limited CV.

I'm scared his mental health is going down hill again.

Thankyou.

He has GCSEs 4 and above in maths Sci eng.

He needs to sign on for UC so his NI stamp is paid. DS signed on when he left college after A levels. He was after a job while he decided what to do. His work person from the DWP was really nice because she knew he wanted to work and he was pleasant to her. He got a job loading freight on to planes, a night shift which is hard to recruit for and got £19 ph which was good for a just 19 year old. He then decided on a degree apprenticeship and was accepted.

Get your DS volunteering in a charity shop. I have retired and do this, we have had a string of youngsters who do it just for the work experience and quite a few don’t stay long. We had a lovely lad K who landed a job after about 5 months he still pops in. He was quite an anxious lad as well.

He can look up how to put together a CV online.

• He can do some volunteering to help with gaining work experience in retail (charity shop) or other areas
• there are many training courses aimed specifically at young people
• an apprenticeship might be a good idea too.

Maybe help him think about what he is interested in (does he want to work in an office? outdoors? in a trade? in a shop? do something creative? be self-employed ) then work out what training he needs to get there.

My nephew started an apprenticeship when he ws 18 after failing his level three course
We are also in greater Manchester, so they are definitely available
I don't think the best apprenticeship ,but he's earning and gaining experience
It sounds like he needs career advice ?

I'm in Greater Manchester as well. My local council has a Facebook page dedicated to jobs and training schemes for people in your son's situation.
Does yours have anything like that?

Encourage him to apply for ESA (employment support allowance) which should give him access to different forms of support and learning to enable him to find suitable employment. I used to work with young adults such as your son in a careers setting but not for a few years now.

He has no friends. He doesn't leave the house.

This won't be helping his MH. He needs to get out of the house, even if it's just for a walk in the sun.

Are there any environmental projects he could volunteer for? Gardens, rivers, canals? He might find there are fewer social demands, and he would benefit from doing physical work in the open air.

For anybody else reading, just a note that you do not need to have gcses C or 4 to start an intermediate apprenticeship. If you don't have grades you will do maths and English as part of the apprenticeship.

You can't apply for ESA anymore. It's UC now. It's a legacy benefit, everyone is being transfered to UC

I think physical work would be really good for him.

Does he have decent GCSEs (particularly maths and English)? Just wondered if that might be holding him back if not, as that’s something concrete he could do something about

Great suggestions here.

If he is interested in retail then I’d suggest volunteering in a charity shop. The right skills plus fills that gap.

Food bank volunteering is good too.

Has he tried amazon/ warehouse work?

UC will support him in funding a job. If he has any additional support needs then he can have a disability work coach and they were v supportive with my dd.

Look for local recruitment agencies hiring staff for warehouses etc just so he can have a bit of income and some purpose which will help his confidence. If he is polite and punctual he will find a job in this field with little problems.

Then find something he is interested in and get some volunteer work as mentioned.

Princes trust is a great suggestion as well. Good luck to him and you.

This and also check this link www.gov.uk/guidance/find-a-skills-bootcamp

There are schemes that will help him with training and pair him with employers or guarantee an interview.

fareshare foodbank are good and supportive.

You can also do a free forklift licence.

https://www.faresharegm.org.uk/volunteer/

This! Google NEET team in your county and you should be able to find them. They can arrange work experience and support and they're really supportive.

Join the army.

Absolutely not.

What was the job he enjoyed?

also what @WaltzingWaters says - when my BIL was in a similar situation he rang every care agency - he had zero experience, but they were desperate for men who were able to be 1:1 for male service users, and also were stronger and more able to lift and move people. He ended up as a carer for a young man about his age and they had a great time doing stuff together, it massively boosted BIL's confidence as well after a rocky educational experience. He now works in sales after 3 years as a carer and has bought his own house (10 years earlier than the rest of us managed!)

Apply for UC
Princes trust can be great
I've known apprentices in their 50/60s
If he's interested in outdoor work then maybe look at the National Trust?

The other issue is he doesn't drive, obviously unaffordable atm and all the warehouse jobs are off in industrial areas that don't really have great public transport.

He was working in childcare.

Labouring? Constant adverts for labourers needed on Facebook round here. He might find his niche that way. Definitely get him back out and about asap. I know of far too many teenagers who have time off, get into gaming and go into a spiral of lacking confidence/being comfy at home.

How about Porte ring in a hospital? They often have bank shifts you can pick up even if no permanent posts exist and that can become permanent. Once in the nhs, there’s so many opportunities.

Take a look at nationalcareers.gov.uk, there’s also a helpline he can call for advice.

Does he likes technology? This is for unemployed people https://codeinstitute.net/16-week-skills-bootcamp-berkshire/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=paidsocial&utm_campaign=L5+Skills+Bootcamp+Berkshire+L5+B2B+-+February-April+2024_Unemployed+%2818-45%29&utm_content=IMG+2+-+Limited+Places+Available+-+Fully+Funded&hsa_acc=594329273936883&hsa_cam=6560337515345&hsa_grp=6560337515145&hsa_ad=6560337515545&hsa_src=fb&hsa_net=facebook&hsa_ver=3&fbclid=IwAR0qzWY-ePZ4mzHYqS48d0IGJuU0ssMZ_gSPC6mzjEVmNlCbXUeMH-uimpg_aem_AYK0LySACq0tm03yRGhUf47Unc6CgJrtL30cTi5yTCw856JIGRsFSCebHOAIOBlqMiVJIXVUrRFL7ac9HwdkU5Cq