Brian is sharing his story to support others.

It wasn’t so long ago that Brian was a job seeker struggling to find work with multiple barriers impacting his employability.

Today, he is supporting and mentoring other Indigenous job seekers to overcome their own challenges in life and to find the employment they need.

When it comes to the support he provides others, Brian talks openly about his criminal history and his lived experiences with substance issues.

Sharing his previous painful barriers to enjoying many aspects of life are part of his role at Footprints Employment and Training.

Together with his passion for helping others, Brian’s experiences and stories were what set him apart as a candidate to his employers, who say his willingness to share his knowledge is what makes him fantastic mentor.

Finding the right pathway

Austin from APM Employment Services said Brian came looking for support to move forward in his life.

"(Brian) came to me basically telling me that he really just needed some help."

"He was really looking for employment and couldn’t find the right pathway" he said.

"I knew Brian was ready for work, but I knew that he needed some work and a lot of support."

Brian was supported into work, after engaging with APM through the jobactive program, now known as Workforce Australia.

"There are a number of challenges, the biggest one would have probably have been my criminal history" Brian said.

Brian’s employer Neva shared the company’s ethos when it came to hiring:

"Here at Footprints we employ people based on their heart, not necessarily their qualifications."

"And when we came across Brian …and the fact he hadn’t been given an opportunity, really stands for everything that we stand for, which is trying to give opportunity in adversity."

Qualifications and heart

Not only was his previous criminal history not a barrier, Footprints created a whole division around his skill set and the work Brian wanted to do mentoring Indigenous job seekers.

APM Employment Services CEO Karen Rainbow agrees how valuable someone’s experiences can be when looking for work.

"You don’t need a qualification to build your skills" she said.

"A person’s interests, styles of communication, their actions and life experiences can positively set them apart when looking for work."

"Someone’s empathy in their role can make all the difference to another person’s life" she added.