"I wanted my life back"...

When Fergus joined Triage’s Connect to Work programme, he was determined to get his life back on track after years of health challenges had forced him away from work.

At the age of 21, a nasty infection left Fergus with liver, kidney and bladder complications. Multiple surgeries, long hospital stays and ongoing mobility issues meant that a once-thriving career came to an abrupt halt. “Although my health has gradually improved, I lacked the confidence to return to work and worried about how my day-to-day challenges would affect my ability to succeed in a role,” said Fergus.

Connect to Work has been designed to support individuals with health conditions, disabilities, and complex barriers in finding the right job at the right time with the most suitable employer.

Everything changed when he started working with Alana, Triage Employment Specialist. “Right from the start, Alana made me feel comfortable and (created) a safe space where I could manage my disability,” said Fergus.

“Over the three months I was supported by Triage, Alana went above and beyond to help me move towards employment,” said Fergus. Alana supported Fergus with job searching, exploring opportunities in different sectors, used internal contacts to provide additional insight and support, arranged training opportunities, conducted mock interviews, and secured financial support for items that would help him access employment.

“Ultimately, she helped me to go out of my comfort zone and to be able to apply for jobs that I not only wanted, but was passionate about, and not something that would get me into quick employment and just ‘pay the bills’,” said Fergus.

Fergus has now secured employment as a Prehab Coach with a local organisation that supports people with addiction and alcohol recovery. This is a role that Fergus is particularly passionate about due to someone close to him experiencing issues with alcohol.

“Triage can help in so many other ways than just getting a job. They will help prepare you for potential interviews, apply for free training programmes to gain skills and build your CV, offer in-work support after you have been successful in finding a job, help out financially with transport costs and equipment/ clothing for potential jobs; the list goes on,” concluded Fergus.