A Letchworth woman, who was struggling for work as she's deaf and a carer, is now back in employment…

Jennifer Banton from Letchworth is relishing being back in work after 12 years thanks to the support of a new partnership between Ingeus and deaf communication specialists Clarion.

Jennifer, 48, is deaf and as a lone carer for her mother and two children has struggled to find suitable work. But with the support of Ingeus and Clarion, she has secured employment as an online shopper at her local Sainsbury’s in Coreys Mill, Stevenage.

When Jobcentre Plus referred Jennifer to Ingeus, she met her advisor Nii Thompson with the support of Clarion’s Anna Calstar-Fisher, who is experienced in providing employability support to people who are deaf or hard of hearing.

Nii and Anna looked at Jennifer’s work history and job goals, and worked together to develop a CV highlighting her many accomplishments as a single parent and carer. Longer appointments were scheduled for the trio to work together and Jennifer and Anna were encouraged to use the IT equipment and job-search resources of the Ingeus office following their meetings.

“It was great to work with Nii and Anna, a real confidence boost,” said Jennifer. “Nii helped with all the practical aspects which have been hurdles for me in the past, sorting out travel expenses and my working tax credits for instance.”

Jennifer initially applied for a role in Sainsbury’s cafe but HR Manager Donna Anderson felt the online shopper vacancy would be more suitable. She said: “We thought the shifts of the other vacancy would suit Jennifer’s family life better and knew she’d quickly learn how to use the shopping console. We rearranged the induction timetable so that Anna could attend to interpret and Jennifer’s already settling in really well. It’s great to have her on the team.”

Now Jennifer couldn’t be happier: “I’m genuinely proud to wear my uniform and have been overwhelmed by how welcoming everyone has been. My next step is to buy a car, which certainly wouldn’t have been possible without this job.

“After 12 years of trying to get a job with no help I am very happy and will never forget Ingeus and Clarion’s support.”