1000 Clients – 1000 Perspectives
On the 4th of Feb, we welcomed and enrolled our 1000th client at the BB head office!
At the beginning of this month, we hit an incredible milestone at Breaking Barriers. On the 4th of Feb, we welcomed and enrolled our 1000th client at the BB head office. From our first ever client back in 2015, right through to today, our clients are at the heart of everything we do, and we are honoured to work with such incredible people. This is the perfect moment to take a moment and shoutout to our wonderful staff who work so hard and to everyone who has supported the charity to achieve this, we are sending you a huge BB THANK YOU!
“Breaking Barriers is one of the best charities I have encountered so far. The whole team is approachable, respectful and professional. They are very supportive and have great knowledge about the work they do. They make arrangements that are tailored to meet individuals needs such as workshops and training, as well as English and IT classes. These opportunities boost your knowledge and confidence greatly. Furthermore, BB are keen to take on any suggestions you might have as a client. I would highly recommend Breaking Barriers to anyone.”
BB Futures client
“It is very clear that being ‘mission-led’ is one of the organisation’s core values. Breaking Barriers implements a follow-through system to ensure client’s goals are met throughout the process of entering employment. As a refugee living in the UK, I faced the challenge of gaining suitable employment. Breaking Barriers facilitated workshops focused on improving my interview technique and cover letter writing. Thanks to Breaking Barriers I now work in a company I love and in a role within which I will gain valuable experience to achieve my long-term goal as a Project Manager.”
Andrew – BB Aspire client
“After a long waiting period as an asylum seeker, I became a refugee. It was fantastic news, but after applying for jobs for a while, I understood that I needed professional help from someone who knows what kind of problems a refugee may face during a job search in the UK. These barriers range from understanding the job market to language barriers to having no UK work experience.
During these daunting days one of my friends told me about Breaking Barriers so I contacted them through their website. They replied quickly and invited me for an appointment. I was a little bit stressed when I went to my first appointment and wasn’t sure what to expect. However, after meeting and talking with my employment adviser Harbi and seeing how welcoming everyone was and how understanding they were of my problems, I could really believe that they would help me to build a future in the UK. They had ideas and practical solutions- from finding English courses to securing funding for vocational courses. Whenever I attended an appointment, I felt rehabilitated and on track to finding a worthwhile job and feeling a part of society.
The organisation was absolutely mission-led. They explained to me that they used a scaffolding approach when supporting refugees. They supported me in accessing courses and booked workshops for me to understand the working environment in the UK and to have a greater insight into the job market. I attended a lot of workshops sponsored by global companies which helped me with interview techniques and how to deal with stress. These workshops were helpful for me and I made a lot of networks during these workshops.
I am now working in a global company who sponsored a lot of the workshops that I attended. When I went for the interview, I knew the staff member who welcomed me from one of workshops. As a result, I was relaxed in the interview and I got the job! I can safely say that the scaffolding approach is very helpful for refugees.
I have to say that if I hadn’t heard about Breaking Barriers, I would probably still be searching for a meaningful job. I would like to thank everyone for their great support.”
BB First Steps client