Homeless but not alone...

"Since I started working with Fusion People, I have felt nothing but supported by them, I feel so much more confident now and that is thanks to all the help I have received."

Ben:

Thank you for giving up your time to talk to Mike & I. We have been impressed by your work ethic and drive to overcome a situation caused by the pandemic. Can you tell me how you became aware of BEAM and how they helped you??

George:

At the start of the Pandemic, I was working as a chef but unfortunately when restaurants had to close, I lost my job and was struggling to get by, this in turn lead to me becoming homeless for a while. I contacted my local council who recommend me to contact BEAM. After speaking to BEAM they then started the process to help me find work which is when I was lucky enough be introduced to Fusion People.

Ben:

You came to Fusion People almost two years ago looking to break into career after some bad luck, you then worked as a train cleaner, to working on the stations as a crowd control operative and now you are a fully trained gateline assistant, working full time for us.

Reading that back to myself gives me a great deal of satisfaction alone, how does it make you feel to know how far you have come?

George:

I have been provided with such a lot of support by fusion, I remember when I started working with fusion People and my supervisor Daniel was such a big support helping me anytime I needed it and he was always willing to spend time with me to make sure I was happy and comfortable with the work I was doing. To start as cleaner and work my way up to gateline assistance is a big achievement for me and something I am very proud of especially as when I started working for Fusion People I was at a hard time in my life.

Ben:

We always like to take it from the start, tell me a bit about yourself and your family, how you came to the UK.

George:

I came to the UK from Mongolia as a student and studied here for 3 years I have now been in the UK for around 18 years.

Ben:

Having gone through the process with BEAM and got into work, how could you advise Fusion People so we understand the hardship that people are going through so we can provide the best help and guidance?

George:

Since I started working with Fusion People, I have felt nothing but supported by them, I feel so much more confident now and that is thanks to all the help I have received.

Ben:

What 3 pieces of advice would you give someone who is looking for a career but has perhaps fallen on hard times and has more obstacles than others?

George:

Firstly, I would definitely?say to reach out to support charities, reaching out to BEAM was one of the best things I did as it led me to Fusion People, and I would not have received the opportunities I have been given without them. Secondly, I would say not to lose hope and always remember things will get better over time. Lastly, I think it is important to take every day step-by-step as I have managed to work my way up from a train cleaner to gateline assistant and that was due to hard work and my drive to improve myself.

Ben:

The rail industry is the backbone to travel and freight throughout the UK. How have you found working in this sector? Have you found it welcoming?

George:

The thing I love the most about working within the rail industry is that every day is never the same, there is always a new customer, a new station to cover or an obstacle to overcome which makes coming into work enjoyable for me. All the staff I have met within the rail industry have always been very friendly and welcoming and have treated me like family

Mike:

George, could you tell me what would an average day be like in your current role if there is such a thing?

George:

My day starts with me setting up my barriers and making sure my colleagues are happy so there is a positive team environment. When it comes to customers, I must be there to support them with their needs by guiding them with directions and alternative routes if there are any delays.

Ben:

From your experience, do you believe charity organizations and recruitment agencies should work more together in building solutions for the homeless and those who have fallen on harder times?.

George:

Yes, after experiencing being homeless myself I understand how hard it can be to get back on your feet again. Working on the railways I have come across homeless people and I always want to help them in any way I can whether that be giving them food or having a conversation with them.

Ben:

We are so pleased to see how well you have done and would love to have you as our ambassador so people who have had challenges in their life can see there is a bright future ahead, would you mind if we shared this pod cast with others to give them hope.

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