Our unique collaboration with Big Yellow Self Storage and the Big Yellow Foundation is creating opportunities for women with convictions to gain real workplace experience while job searching.
Through this initiative, women can complete a paid 12-week placement at one of Big Yellow’s retail stores. It offers valuable customer service experience, and in some cases, even turn into a permanent role.
Finding support through Working Chance
Fatima had been out of work for some time and, like many women with convictions, was facing barriers to employment. She wasn’t feeling very confident in her job search, and although she’d been invited to some interviews, she hadn’t received any job offers.
“I was given a list of organisations I could contact for support with different things, and Working Chance was listed. I thought, ‘wow, that looks good!’”
Curious about what support we could offer; she decided to get in touch.
“From looking for work to recommending roles, everything about the support from Working Chance was amazing.”
Fatima, Working Chance client“From looking for work to recommending roles, everything about the support from Working Chance was amazing.”
A job offer on hold
After several months of applications and interviews, Fatima secured a role supporting women at a charity. She was delighted to be offered the job, but delays with her DBS check meant she could not start working.
Although her employer was willing to wait, the delay meant there was no clear start date. She needed something in the meantime to continue building her CV and experience.
Her Employment Coach suggested a placement with The Big Yellow Self Storage company while she waited.
Gaining practical work experience with Big Yellow
Fatima took up the opportunity and was placed in a Big Yellow store close to home.
“The staff were amazing, it was just a great place to work, especially my manager and colleagues.”
The placement gave her the in-store customer service experience her CV was missing. She supported customers, worked closely with colleagues who were supportive and encouraging, and helped keep the store organised. She particularly enjoyed refreshing and organising storage spaces, alongside the structure and routine of being in work.
“I realised I could interact with customers very well and work as part of a team. I wasn’t brilliant at everything, but there were things I was good at, so I focused on those.”
Fatima, Working Chance client“I realised I could interact with customers very well and work as part of a team. I wasn’t brilliant at everything, but there were things I was good at, so I focused on those.”
Alongside developing customer service skills, the placement gave her a clearer sense of her strengths in a workplace setting.
The experience left her more motivated as she looked ahead to what came next.
Working and waiting for the next step
Reflecting on her time at Big Yellow, she encourages other women supported by Working Chance to take part: “I would say go for it, you’ll only gain, you won’t lose.”
Fatima’s journey shows how important it is to get the right support at the right time, from one-to-one coaching with Working Chance to a meaningful placement with Big Yellow. Together, these experiences helped her gain skills, build confidence and move forward towards work.
“The placement with Big Yellow boosted my confidence. When it ended, I resumed my job search with more enthusiasm. Having tasted being gainfully employed, I wanted more of that.”
Fatima, Working Chance client“The placement with Big Yellow boosted my confidence. When it ended, I resumed my job search with more enthusiasm. Having tasted being gainfully employed, I wanted more of that.”