Rossendale Future’s bright for Asim

After nine years of interview rejections, Asim Elahi has got a job thanks to help from an innovative employment programme.

Asim, 37, had been working for Training 2000 for nearly 12 years, but was made redundant in 2010 when the Rawtenstall office closed.

Since then he has applied for scores of jobs and attended many interviews, but his lack of confidence, anxiety and issues with disability meant he only ever got voluntary work.

His father Ikram used to play professional cricket for Pakistan and came to England in the 1960s to play for Bacup, Baxenden and Haslingden.

Asim’s two brothers have successful careers in computer programming and IT, which only compounded his anxiety.

In July he visited the Employablity Fair at the Adrenaline Centre, in Haslingden, where he met Support Worker Hussain Khan.

Hussain works for the Rossendale Council, Active Lancashire and Department of Work and Pensions programme.

He said:

Asim started with Rossendale Futures, the part of the programme that gets people work-ready. We gave him one-to-one support and he got involved with activities we were running.

Both Asim and his father came along to summer activities at Rawtenstall Cricket Club.

As part of the Rossendale Works programme, Hussain then worked with Asim to improve his CV and supported him when he applied for a job at TK Maxx in Rawtenstall by speaking to the store’s manager.

Hussain prepared Asim for a telephone interview and, although Asim went into his face-to-face interview on his own, Hussain accompanied him.

Asim, of Haslingden, said:

Knowing that Hussain was there to support me, gave me more confidence. I am partially sighted, have dyslexia, one leg is shorter than the other and I have anxiety.

I got the job at TK Maxx and started on September 23. Now I feel so much more confident. I feel positive when I go into work because someone has given me the opportunity and I have not been judged on my disability.

Asim works at least 12 hours a week as a retail associate and can often be found in charge of the fitting rooms.

Hussain said:

The project did not just support Asim, but his whole family as we knew it would benefit everyone for him to get his self-esteem back.

When Asim is not working, he still gets involved with our projects and he is in the process of becoming one of our volunteers.

Asim has continued to volunteer with Haslingden Library, where he has been helping out for the last five years.

He also volunteered with other organisations since being made redundant including Remploy, Newground and Bootstrap.

Rossendale Works was initially set up for a 12-month trial period in partnership with Active Lancashire and was so successful Rossendale Council expanded it in April with funding from the Department of Work and Pensions.

Project Manager is Paul Becouarn and to find out more email pbecouarn@activelancashire.org.uk