Located in WOTSO Chermside, Jason Rolph is a Job Coach at People Plus – Australia’s leading disability employment service provider. Whether it be supporting an individual or business in employment, training, education, or providing guidance for business start-up services, or how to develop overall health and wellbeing, every day is different for Jason. However, at the end of it all, Jason explains it is “the opportunity of making a difference to someone’s life” that gets him out of bed every morning! Meet WOTSO Chermside member and Job Coach at People Plus, Jason Rolph.
IN A SNAPSHOT, CAN YOU TELL US A BIT ABOUT PEOPLE PLUS AND WHAT IT OFFERS BOTH EMPLOYERS, AND PROSPECTIVE EMPLOYEES?
PeoplePlus Australia is a leading disability employment service provider. We offer Participants seeking work a high level of support and assistance in building employability skills, confidence and a positive approach to the process of finding work. We offer employers the opportunity to connect with suitable candidates who are capable and job ready. And we continue to support employers and their new employees long after they’ve started work to ensure that everything’s going well and that plans are on track.
WHAT ARE SOME KEY ELEMENTS OF PEOPLE PLUS THAT REALLY SET IT APART FROM OTHER BUSINESSES WITH SIMILAR SERVICES?
When we start working with a new Participant we ask a lot of questions, it’s part of our unique “Discovery” approach that enables us to know people at a deeper level – what motivates them, their goals and passions. When we do this we can serve them better when sourcing job opportunities that not only take advantage of their skills, they provide meaning and fulfilment at a deeper level so they’re more inspired to stay and succeed.
WHAT ARE SOME KEY PIECES OF ADVICE THAT YOU GIVE TO PEOPLE LOOKING TO SET UP THEIR OWN BUSINESS? HOW DOES PEOPLE PLUS FOSTER AND SUPPORT PEOPLE WANTING TO START THEIR OWN BUSINESS?
The first piece of advice is to have a plan and to stay focused. There’s a lot of things that demand your attention setting up and running a small business so prioritising tasks ensures the focus remains on the most important things. The second thing is to stay disciplined. It’s easier to lose focus and motivation when there’s no boss standing behind you – you’re it. If someone we work with is serious about starting their own business we help them to define what it is they really want to do and, if appropriate, we can connect them to a range of resources and services to help, like the New Enterprise Incentive Scheme, or NEIS.
HOW HAVE YOU SEEN PART OF THE PEOPLE PLUS BUSINESS BE SUCCESSFULLY SUPPORTED BY BEING LOCATED IN WOTSO’S COWORKING ENVIRONMENT?
For one thing, the location’s central and easy for people to find. The environment’s inviting and friendly so when I have meetings people are relaxed (which is really important for the work that we do). Our local WOTSO team are brilliant, professional and genuinely keen to ensure I’m happy. We’ve got a diverse range of people and enterprises within our site and it’s great to meet people at regular networking events or social catch up. There’s an energy you can feel in the space which makes our WOTSO office a great solution for what we need to achieve.
WHAT IS IT ABOUT YOUR WORK THAT GETS YOU OUT OF BED EVERYDAY? WHAT KEEPS YOU MOTIVATED AND EXCITED?
It’s the opportunity of making a difference to someone’s life. To see the appreciation, excitement and gratitude a Participant has when they get that job, that’s the motivation for me to come back day after day and do what I do.
