Breaking Barriers: How the CFO Activity Hub Secured Participant's First Job

• The Creating Future Opportunities (CFO) Yorkshire Activity Hubs provide a safe space where people on probation can engage in a range of social, creative, and group activities.
• The purpose of the Hubs is to promote participant wellbeing and social reintegration.
• Learn how the Hubs helped BC find his first ever job. 

The CFO Activity Hubs in Yorkshire give people on probation the support that they need to get back on track. BC was referred to the Hub in June 2022, 2 years into a Youth Referral Order. His probation practitioner wrote on his referral form:

“Although BC has a lot of support workers involved in his care, he is a lonely 18-year-old with no friends (since conviction) and no family contact. It would be helpful for him to engage in activities to improve his social isolation and improve his self-esteem.”

The Hub was also informed that BC has a significant visual impairment and is registered as severely visually impaired. The visual impairment is called Aniridia (which is the absence of the iris), and he also has Nystagmus (which is uncontrollable rapid movement of the eyes, forcing him to wear glasses at all times). This is a degenerative condition which will progressively get worse over time. He told the team that this condition is hereditary, and he has grown used to living with it.

Whilst being at the Hub, BC has engaged with Future Focus, Sports and Mindfulness, and has completed sessions on Life Skills and Independent Living. When he first arrived at the Hub, BC struggled with very low self-esteem and major anxieties around his sight. The team helped him discover positive hobbies; he therefore began attending the sports group on a weekly basis and found the confidence to share everyday problems with the activity tutors – who acted as a positive influence in BC’s life. From attending the Hub, BC went on to talk about employment and regularly discussed barriers to this with his support worker. They two then worked with outside agencies to source a role that was right for BC – and this role was found shortly after. BC now works in a manual handling job role, working behind the Royal Armouries. This is his first job, and he is doing well.

BC was thankful for the hub for being able to provide a positive environment in order to “Get his head right.” He was also thankful to the activity tutors for listening to him and providing emotional support through tough times. Looking forward, he wants to re-engage with family and upskill as much as possible.

Find Out More

Get in touch with the Yorkshire CFO Activity Hubs to learn about a range of tailored support, including one-to-one advice, guidance, and group work. The service aims to help people on probation reintegrate into society. 

For more information about the Growth Company CFO Activity Hubs visit: The Growth Company - Employment - Yorkshire CFO Activity Hubs