Craig* was referred to Konekt’s new employer services six months after a suffering a psychological injury during his previous employment.
During his time off work, Craig described himself as being at the ‘lowest point of his life’ with a ‘complete loss of confidence, identity and any value’.
Unfortunately, over the course of his journey Craig’s life was ‘falling apart’.
“The bills kept coming in, and we could not keep up, we relied on charity, nearly lost our home on a few occasions and become completely isolated from our community.”
Once referred to Konekt, Craig mentioned he was at first very hesitant, “I had lost all trust in people and when first speaking to Konekt, it took some time to gain that trust.”
“In the beginning, I was not motivated to return to work as I did not feel ready, I had no confidence and remained scared of potential harm in future workplaces.”
Craig was engaged in new employer services to assist with reviewing transferable skills, assisting with resume writing, job seeking activities, applications and interview practice.
“Konekt were able to build trust and rapport, over time, due to their personal approach, professionalism and care.”
Over the next few months, Konekt worked with Craig to assist in building confidence and sourcing potential job options in his area. Craig soon managed to apply for jobs independently and source work.
“When I saw the results of job options Konekt put forth, I could see they cared. Konekt made it personal – they invested in me and it felt genuine. Konekt gave me worthwhile job options, whilst still maintaining focus.”
When Craig commenced with his new employer, he reported “…feeling validated for the first time. It was great to get out of the house, have some routine and feel valued once again. Work eased the stressors in my personal and family life.”
“Don’t get me wrong, I am still not near 100%, though I have been able to increase my confidence over time with the assistance of Konekt.”
“I would like to say to people is we need to remove the stigma involved with being off work. My motivations to return to work were, and still are, for my personal and families’ wellbeing. People don’t want to be off work if they have motivation.”
“These things take time and the pressures from the public and family make it so much worse.”