“Second chances are one of humanity’s superpowers”

Last year, the journey of one person I supported has imparted an invaluable lesson to me, emphasising the importance of empathy, kindness, and my belief in second chances.

Working with Jobs First’s newest partner, B&Q, has been a reminder that a person’s past and background doesn’t have to limit their potential. It shows us that with opportunity and guidance, anyone can grow and transform.

Refugees face so many barriers to employment and the lack of language proficiency is one of them. Because many refugees were not raised in the UK and cannot communicate fluently, many have difficulties in obtaining a job. That has detrimental effects on their health and social wellbeing.

When M. interviewed for the B&Q position, we found out that he is a MSc Networking Professional who taught computing in his country. But here, his language skills were negatively impacting his chances of getting a good job.

After the interviews, the line manager gave me feedback on all the candidates. The job opening was for just one position, but she said that she would give M. a chance as he would find it difficult to get a job and gain experience. M. was offered the job on weekends. I thought, kudos to B&Q for showing empathy and understanding of diverse journeys without harsh judgment.

After one week, M. had to leave the role due to his housing situation.

He and his family had been living in housing association property as asylum seekers. But now that they had leave to remain in the UK, they had to leave their accommodation within 28 days. Failure to secure alternative accommodation could result in homelessness, so they had to go to the council to arrange temporary accommodation. It was stressful.

M. made his line manager aware, and I phoned her and explained the whole situation too. I could hear the disappointment in her voice.

A few weeks later, M. was offered a home. He told me he was still looking for a job and asked me to help him out, so I spoke with his previous line manager. I thought that since he had quit before, the manager might be apprehensive about giving him a second chance. But to my surprise she said that once he settles in his new place, I should let her know. When I did, B&Q agreed to hire him back on one condition: that I would support him as part of the Jobs First programme. I could not have been happier!

Now M. is doing well in his role. He’s taking steps to improve his language skills, like enrolling in language classes and practicing with native speakers.

To give M. a second chance was the line manager’s personal decision. It was influenced by various factors, including a willingness to see things from a different perspective. What mattered most was that M’s line manager did not view language proficiency as a barrier to hiring him, but rather as an opportunity for him to develop new skills and enhance his employability in an increasingly diverse job market. A huge thank you to her and the whole team at B&Q.