Ian Diggens

Personal Profile 

A caring and experienced Employment/Careers Advisor within the community development/mental health sector Possesses invaluable interpersonal skills in working with clients from diverse backgrounds, from initial meeting, career advice & guidance, CV-creation/update through to securing employment. Proven track record in working with local organisations to explore opportunities and brokering roles with suitable candidates. Collaborates well with partners to further positive client outcomes. Adept at delivering presentations on services to clients, partners and employers. Experience of rigorous projects such as National Careers Service, ESF, Love London Working and London Development Agency and therefore target, deadline and evidence-oriented.  

Nov 2022-Present Twin Training Careers/Employment Advisor 

Duties: 

·         Working on National Careers Service programme 

·         Accessing/recruiting customers from Twin’s different course attendees & other DWP programmes 

·         Delivering National Careers Service overview sessions to potential customers 

·         One-to-one IAG/bespoke employment support according customer requirements 

·         Working to strict monthly targets –work, learning, skills as well as job and course outcomes 

·         Partnership working with other teams – employer engagement, Restart, Parents Support Programme 

March 2021-Oct 2022 Mind in Tower Hamlets Employment Advisor 

     & Newham 

 Duties: 

·         Providing outstanding Employment Support for clients Impacted by low-level mental health  

·         Conducting in-work Wellness Action Plans with clients  

·         Attending meetings between clients and employers  

·         Acting as mediator in the negotiation of reasonable adjustments in the workplace  

·         Conducting webinars for clients  

Jan 2021-March 2021         Get Set UK Employment Advisor 

Duties: 

·         Working on the JETS programme  

·         Employment support for those impacted by lockdown 

·         Submission to Employment Broker for suitable roles 

·         Maintaining strict target delivery  

March 2008-Dec 2020 Peabody Employment Broker/Project  

   /Trust Thamesmead Officer 

Duties: 

·         Delivering IAG to local unemployed community, assisting them into sustainable and meaningful 

      employment–from registration, CV-writing, applications, covering-letters through to finding work 

Working with hard-to-reach clients with barriers and assisting them into work  

·         Liaising with local employers/partners to explore opportunities – including Durkan, Madigan Gill, 

      Modebest, City Bricks, Hanover, DWP, Bexley Council  

·         Brokering between companies/contractors and clients to fill local roles 

·         Collaborating with employers & partners–IKEA, Gllab, Primark & others–to host recruitment events  

·         Delivering presentations to local partners, employers and potential clients, also using remote platforms 

Adhering to strict project deadlines and guidelines to deliver outputs 

·         Running group workshops with clients to offer employment support/career-change 

·         In-work support for employed clients, to facilitate career progression   

·         Working with internal teams to source placements for clients – Finance, Media 

·         Exploiting external/internal partners & teams to offer clients holistic service – debt, housing, employment disputes (Positive Steps), volunteering  

2008-2009 Trust Thamesmead OCR Level 3 NVQ in Advice &  

Guidance / IOSH 

Sept 2002-Sept 2003 SOAS, London MA Master’s Degree-Near &           Middle Eastern Studies/Turkish 

Nov 1997 Language Link TESOL Certificate  

Sept 1993-June 1996 Southbank University BA(Hons) European Community 

Studies/German, Grade 2:1