From services to security – Darren’s story

Darren, a former member of the armed forces, began his journey with the Restart Scheme in North Yorkshire, where he received valuable support. When he relocated to South London, he transitioned to the Better Working Futures programme to continue his path toward employment.

Despite facing ongoing health challenges, he remained active and engaged - already volunteering at his local library. With support from his Employment Adviser, Jasmina, he enrolled onto several in-house courses that helped him to focus on employability skills and interview training sessions, where “he demonstrated a strong commitment to personal growth”, said Jasmina.

Better Working Futures offers in-house courses that focus on all thing's employability, enabling participants to improve on the areas they feel may be holding them back from getting a job.

Jasmina said: Darren showed great enthusiasm and was a pleasure to work with. I was able to support him in renewing his passport, with the programme covering the cost to ensure he had the correct documentation to prove his eligibility to work.

With his sights set on a career in security, Darren applied for an SIA badge. Once secured, it opened the door to new opportunities. He attended a jobs fair hosted by a Better Working Futures office, where he was able to interview with a security firm, and left with a job offer.

Like Darren, many participants benefit from the financial support available with Better Working Futures. This ensures that participants are not impacted financially on their transition into paid employment.

To support his transition into work, Darren received help with the necessary admin and was provided with vouchers to purchase new work clothes. His journey didn’t stop there, as he has recently started a course on CCTV management to further enhance his skills and career prospects.

Darren is especially grateful for the support he received, noting that he once believed his age and health would be major barriers to employment in the security sector.

“Accept all the help you can possibly get and never give up. The help is there if you want it.”

Darren’s story is a powerful reminder that with the right support, determination, and mindset, it’s never too late to start a new chapter.