Steve

Case Studies ❯ Steve

Steve was born and abandoned to the care system. Released from borstal at 17, with no guidance or support, he ended up squatting with friends in London and the home counties and was forced to thieve, deal in stolen goods and sell drugs just to survive. Steve ended up using hard drugs as a way of dealing with his chaotic lifestyle. In and out of prison for the best part of ten years, he spent 30 years homeless: being thrown out of hostels for his drug use, he sofa-surfed, lived in vans, garages, on floors, in caravans and in tents.

Following his caravan being towed by the authorities back in May, Steve was forced to live in a tent in a friend’s garden in Birmingham – and that’s when he discovered Radical Recruit. He’d been passed the contact details of Radical’s founder, Emma, by a course tutor he was being supported by.

Steve said, “I had nothing to lose and within a day or two, Emma had lined me up with an interview as a Ground Operative: a job I’m still in now. I had the Zoom interview in my friend’s garage where I’d then moved to. I’d never have applied for a full-time job on my own, but Emma had faith in me. She lined up some professionals to guide me through interview techniques and the recruitment process. She convinced me I’d nail it but I don’t ever hold my breath. I was offered the job the next day.”

Steve admits to never feeling like he belonged anywhere and made himself feel comfortable living on the outskirts of society. But this existence made him resilient and gave him the strength he needed to embark on a new life – characteristics that many employers need. Radical Recruit gave Steve the opportunity to realise his potential and get in front of employers.