New job, new mindset for Christine thanks to are-able Shepparton & the Tatura Caravan Park
are-able Shepparton job seeker Christine is a shining example of how finding meaningful employment can change a person’s life and the importance of patience and persistence for both clients and employers when navigating a new role.
Christine Maresceaux joined are-able Shepparton in May 2018. When Christine joined are-able she was experiencing severe depression and felt hopeless in the search for employment. Christine felt she was best suited for volunteer work and struggled to believe the true value of her work.
“As an employment consultant, we regularly meet clients who feel defined by their disability, which isn’t reflective of their true skills and capabilities. One of the most rewarding parts of working with clients is helping them to build and develop their confidence and skills to get them ready to re-enter the workforce” said are-able Employment Consultant (EC) Amber Watson.
By working with her EC Amber, Christine was able to successfully gain employment with the Tatura Caravan Park.
“We love it when we can find a suitable role for our clients however, it’s important to understand that the support from are-able for both the client and the employer doesn’t end there. Once we find a role for our client we continue to work with them and the employer – we understand that our clients are often re-entering the workforce for the first time in many years and may require a longer adjustment period then often employers are used to.” Said Amber
L-R Christine Maresceaux & Amber Watson (are-able Employment Consultant)
At the beginning of her employment, Christine found it difficult to meet the work standard required for the role. Christine’s employer Kaan Gungor expressed his concerns about Christine’s work however with the support provided by are-able and the Disability Employment Services program he was able to dedicate the time required to train her effectively.
Now, 6 months on Kaan has advised that Christine is his benchmark for employee standards, he has promoted her to an after-hours contact for the park and that he will employ her for as long as he owns the caravan park. “Christine is our very own Mrs Doubtfire, she is honest and trustworthy. We are lucky to have an employee like Christine. We have trust in Christine that she will do her work to a high standard. Thanks to her hard work we have been able to take a step back from the caravan park to focus on our new business. Christine has really stepped up by acting as our after-hours contact person.”
“The are-able program is fantastic – it can be hard to train new employees but with this program, you can provide them with adequate support and training. Our experience with Kerrie and Amber in the Shepparton office has been outstanding and we will continue to work with are-able in the future. are-able have been good to communicate with and have worked hard to assist with any requests.” Said Kaan.
L-R Kaan Gungor (Tatura Caravan Park owner) & Christine
Christine is incredibly happy in her new role and it had had a positive impact on her health. “Before gaining employment through are-able I was struggling with depression and had given up. Now I feel on top of the world and everything is good. I have a purpose and a reason to get out of bed every day. I feel lucky to have an employer that I can be myself around and that I feel comfortable with. Thanks to my employers Kaan and Linda I feel needed. are-able for me” said Christine.
When asked if she had any advice to those who are feeling helpless in their employment journey Christine said: “Never give up on trying to improve yourself”.
Christine’s EC Amber said “we’re thrilled with the outcome of this employment opportunity for Christine and Kaan. It has been a pleasure working with Kaan and Christine to achieve this wonderful outcome.”
are-able Shepparton specialises in Disability Employment Services (DES) helping people with a disability, injury or health conditions find and keep a job. As a disability services provider in Shepparton, we make sure our clients are ready for work by building skills and addressing barriers to employment. There are disability support courses available to our clients in Shepparton should they require additional training.
We also work with employers to find dedicated employees from within our client talent pool. Businesses are encouraged to advertise job vacancies in Shepparton through are-able.
are-able Shepparton also has an outreach office in Cobram and Echuca.