Wayne Foster-Johnson

Having been retrenched a number of times, and unemployed a couple more times as well, I understand what it feels like to have shoe leather on pavement. Because of this, my approach to supporting individuals in transition is pragmatic - if it works, keep doing it; and if it doesn't, explore alternatives.I still clearly remember my first redundancy, even though that was almost 30 years ago. The emotional roller coaster was quite unsettling and caused me distress until I learned this was normal. It's shaped my response to how I behave in my first meeting with a new participant. I always ask "how are you feeling" and base the initial conversation and support on that response. There is no such thing as "one size fits all"! Support programs must be tailored to meet the current and emerging needs of an individual. It's my role to make sure that happens and to assist my participants to build a foundation that leads to success.While it might sound corny, I love it when someone I've worked with gets to implement their preferred outcome. I'm almost as excited as they are.