With the help of Shaw Trust, Justin Lee has fought back from a serious head injury to being part of the management team at the high street store NEXT.
Justin contacted the Barnsley and Rotherham job brokers in May of this year, "I was told that Shaw Trust would help me back into work and help me with benefits and what I was entitled to," he explained. "They also said that they would support me with training if I needed it."
National employment charity, Shaw Trust is the UK's largest provider of training and work opportunities including the government's New Deal for Disabled People Job Broking Service. "Job Broking is a specialist provision, providing a return to work service for those people currently in receipt of incapacity and related benefits," said local advisor Debbie Hewitt.
Justin, 29, suffered a serious assault five years ago in Barnsley town centre. He sustained a fractured skull and a broken nose, jaw and cheek. "I was in and out of hospital for a long time," he said. "I had memory loss and my speech and mobility were affected. I also had post-traumatic stress disorder."
Because of his problems he turned to alcohol. However, he came to terms with his drinking problem in August 2003 when he went on a detox programme at Kendray Hospital. "I was told that if I didn't stop drinking it would kill me," he said.
When Justin signed up with Shaw Trust he worked with specialist employment advisors to develop a suitable plan to get him back into work. They were able to tell him what benefits he was entitled to and what training was on offer to help him into his chosen career.
"They told me about Permitted Work and how many hours I could work and how much I could earn," said Justin. "So I did Permitted Work for a while at NEXT in the Alhambra Centre, Barnsley and now I've been offered a full-time contract. My role is stock co-ordinator and I've got my first management meeting next week in Leeds".
"I would definitely recommend Shaw Trust - it's been brilliant. They were always there for me if I needed anything. They offered me extra help, which I didn't need, but it was reassuring to know that it was there," he said.
"I want to get my story out to help people who have been through what I've been through. I want them to realise that there is help out there - I honestly didn't think anybody would give me a chance because of my health."
