Jobseeker Spotlight: Mitchell
Introducing Mitchell – the latest jobseeker to be featured on the ELITE Jobseeker Spotlight. The 25 year old from Aberdare in Rhondda Cynon Taff has been working at the Cynon Valley Museum since January 2018. Through ELITE and our Engage to Change project, Mitchell’s journey to employment has seen him develop greatly over the past 18 months.
When Mitchell was first referred onto the Engage to Change project, he was keen to find paid employment. After speaking to him about his hobbies and interests, it was soon established that his ideal job would be to work in a museum. With this in mind, ELITE approached the Cynon Valley Museum based in Aberdare and a supported placement was set up. Mitchell was given one-to-one job coaching support from ELITE Employment Advisor Mike to carry out his main duty of recording, archiving and digitalising of historical photos. These photos would then be uploaded for the public to view through the museum’s digital portals and channels. With such a wealth of cultural history in the area, Mitchell was supplied with a continuous flow of historical artefacts documenting the proud mining and industrial past of the Cynon Valley. After the initial 6-month placement, Mitchell’s hard work and efforts were rewarded, and he was offered the opportunity to continue his paid work at the museum. We recently caught up with Mitchell who had this to say on his career thus far:
“I like to thank ELITE Supported Employment and The Cynon Valley Museum, for working together and supporting me to get my current perfect position at the Museum. I really love it here and love the people I work with; I am ever so grateful for the chance to have a working wage of my own and hope to stay a very long time.”
Staff at the museum have also been grateful for Mitchell’s hard work and have also seen an improvement in his social skills and enthusiasm for his job. Museum manager Jan Bailey had this to say on Mitchell:
“Cynon Valley Museum Trust is pleased to have Mitchell on our staff team. Mitchell came to us on a supported placement from ELITE in early 2018. Mitchell has adapted to his new role and is clearly enthusiastic and passionate about history. It is a pleasure to see him developing and gaining more confidence around the museum. He has fitted into our office and is popular with our many volunteers.”
Mitchell has come on leaps and bounds over the past 18 months learning to implement coping strategies for his Autism and communication difficulties. Finding a position that he is clearly passionate about has excelled Mitchell’s desire to work further. A regular face in the Museum’s Archiving facilities, if you are searching online for historical documents on the Cynon Valley, there is a good chance that Mitchell is the guy responsible for uploading that content!
For further information on the Engage to Change project, please visit the website here: http://www.engagetochange.org.uk/