TNG, a national welfare to work organisation helping deliver people from benefits into work, with 6 offices in Kent, helps one in three people who walk through its doors in Kent to find a job. Over the last 3 years, TNG has helped over 1,600 people in Kent find employment.

TNG helps individuals who are struggling to find work identify their barriers to work, these vary depending on the individual, but can include a lack of qualifications, a lack of work experience, a lack of confidence,, health-related issues, childcare issues, a criminal record, etc. Once these are identified, customers are assigned to a TNG ran programme aimed at helping them overcome their barriers to work.

One such person is Rebecca Youdle, 18, from Chatham, who left school at 16 with no work experience and was so painfully shy that the thought of an interview terrified her. Rebecca joined TNG in August 2010 and with the help of her Personal Job Adviser, Mark Flitter, she was able to overcome her shyness and have a more confident outlook on what she had to offer a prospective employer.  Mark helped her to write her CV and practise her interview techniques and  she is now working at a busy supermarket.

Rebecca said, "I didn’t think I would get any benefit from going to TNG, but thought I would give it a go anyway. As it turns out, TNG was incredibly helpful. I learned job search skills that actually work, I learned how to compile a CV, and how to tailor it to different employers, I learned interview techniques, and importantly, I learned to persevere and not to give up."

Heidi Griffin, TNG Regional Manager in Kent, said, "Rebecca is a good example of the work that TNG does in Chatham, and across Kent. We worked with her to identify her barriers and helped her to take steps to address them. We can’t solve every problem, but we can help and support people as they take steps in the right direction. Rebecca wanted to work, but she had lost motivation and confidence after being rejected. We helped her to address those issues, and, alongside our other workshops, she was able to find work, and move off benefits."