We have been hearing great things about the confidence people gain from an Experience Counts 50+ workshop and how older people are finding it makes a massive difference to their attitude and ability to finding work. Jackie, one of the Directors of Experience Counts, told us about the clarity, confidence and vision people find when working with them. She tells us more in this guest blog:  

Let’s suppose you are someone who has, for all sorts of reasons, been out of the job market for a long period of time. Maybe you can’t return to your previous occupation and the current recruitment procedures seem alien to you. ‘Eek!’ you might think, ‘I’m not good at anything.’

Imagine you are that person, but you are over 50.

You question who is going to employ you at your age. You think ‘you can’t teach an old dog new tricks’. You wonder how are you going to find work? You know you have little or no recent work experience. Confidence is at a low ebb and sinking further.

There is a good chance you are becoming isolated and as that isolation deepens, you feel that your options are, at best limited, or non existent.

But you would be wrong.

Experience Counts 50+ programmes work with groups of (maximum 10) people, who, including the trainers, are all over 50. We see a visible release of tension when participants walk through the door and realise we are all part of the same peer group, which instantly starts to break down a sense of isolation.

We work with individuals to identify their transferrable skills, to help them find clarity about their next step, to build confidence to take that next step, and work towards their goal.

“A dynamic course that meets the needs of the more mature job seeker.”
Previous course participant

We help individuals create a skills-based CV and how to celebrate their skills and lived experience.

We enable them to develop a personal profile and create a ‘strap line’ by which to define themselves, e.g. “I’m Fred and I’ve got excellent communication skills”.

Through group work, we provide recent experience of working as a team, which many employers are looking for and can be evidenced at interview.

We demonstrate recruitment activities, including mock interviews, using actual vacancies, which all builds confidence.

Ultimately we help people to prepare themselves to find the new role they want.

We are about to start delivery of our next Experience Counts 50+ programme. It starts on the 18th June at Aspire-Igen Opportunities Centre (just near Barnitts), Colliergate, York YO1 8BN. To book a place click here

For more information:  www.experiencecountsyork.org.uk
Email: just_ask@experiencecountsyork.org.uk
Phone 07443466756 to speak to Jackie or 07966039206 to speak to Julie

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