Dave
When Dave first registered with TSAEP he felt he lacked skills, motivation and self-esteem. To further compound his problems, he had also been involved in low-level criminal activities in Sydney. Although this past was a long way behind him he found it difficult to throw off his sense of shame and fear that employers would be unwilling to hire him.

With the support and encouragement of TSAEP, however, he overcame all these barriers and entered into the work force. After a few consultations, we learnt that Dave was an accomplished boxer. He had had several sessions with the Australian Institute of Sport and had won a major Queensland title. This experience in sport helped us understand Dave’s motivations and strengths better and over time a strong relationship developed, his consultant working with him to combat his lack of communication skills and reliability problems.

When he was ready we arranged for Dave to attend training with TABMA in the timber industry which led to a full time job. Dave’s employer is extremely happy with his work, and Dave is enjoying his job and feels he is finally achieving something worthwhile. When we asked how Dave felt about his time with Employment Plus, Dave said simply, “Thanks for all your support and persistence. After two years you finally got me a job.”