Libby is a Job Coach for atWork Australia. Libby works out of the Joondalup, WA office and often assists with running an outreach site in Craigie, WA as well.
Libby is a UK born Job Coach who only recently celebrated her one-year anniversary with atWork Australia. Libby is known as a results driven worker, who prides herself on achieving the best possible outcome for her team and her clients.
Libby aid, “Enthusiastic, passionate and loud are a few words I like to describe myself as. I’ve a passion for helping people and believe that I’m only as good as the people within my team.”
One of the most memorable stories for Libby’s time as a Job Coach, was when she supported a client, who had been made redundant from her receptionist position as a result of COVID-19. Libby set to work on upskilling her client in a field that was unlike any industry that she had done nor thought about moving into. It was a Traffic Management position, which was offered to her client within a month of signing up with atWork Australia.
When asked about how the client reacted to getting the job, Libby remarked, “The client had an overwhelming feeling of accomplishment in herself as she, for a very long time, hadn’t enjoyed what she was doing and knew she wanted to find something else. The client felt as though she was at odds with her role in administration and the new position in Traffic Management was a welcomed break.” Libby said, “The client cried when she was offered her position.”
Job Coach Libby added, “The client was so amazed and proud of herself for doing something she never thought was possible. She wanted to find something outside of administration and until she was faced with the idea of upskilling herself, she hadn’t even entertained the thought of traffic management.”
There was certainly a sense of pride for Libby, particularly as her client had doubted herself from the outset, which took much effort to restore the client’s self-worth to ultimately get her across the line into employment. Libby went on to say, “I’ve never felt so proud to see someone who had been dealt a really unfavourable hand to just ‘take it on the chin’ and turn it all around in her favour.”
If there is such a thing as a top client of all time, Libby would have to tell the story about Damon[i]*. Damon and Libby had been working together since Libby commenced with the atWork Australia Joondalup office. Libby said, “We’d been doing everything we could to get Damon back into traffic management. We finally managed to get him a Traffic Controller position and that’s when everything began to change for Damon. Ever since I’ve known Damon, he has been living out of his car due to some decisions he made during a low point in his life.” For near two decades, Damon had drug dependency concerns. However, with regular weekly contact, Libby was able to assist him with overcoming many of these challenges, through empathy and links to community support.
With Damon’s determination and Libby’s untiring efforts to refocus his energies on enriching his life through employment, Damon’s prospects were looking favourable and, it wasn’t before too long that Damon was offered the job. Libby commented, “On the day before Damon started employment he sent me a text message saying that he was celebrating six months clean from long-term drug addiction and it was due to my assistance that he woke up one day to realise that he was the only person who could help himself and that he was bigger and better than the drug.” From that point, Damon’s life changed for the better and he continues to improve himself.
Damon was accepted into his very own rental home, he slept in a bed that he’s purchased after two years of living rough. Every time Damon attends an appointment, he thanks Libby for helping him change his life and this is a case that still resonates with Libby.
Libby concluded, “I do what I do because I believe in life, we are all supposed to help in some shape or form. I believe, I do my job because I’m helping people from all walks of life to change or further themselves. I got into this type of work by applying to be the receptionist, I was unsuccessful in getting that position and was asked if I’d be happy to be referred to my now atWork Australia Manager. I’d never done anything like this before and although it was hard at the beginning, I’m so glad I took the chance.”
It is no surprise that one of the nicest things that a client has said to Libby Egan is, “I appreciate all you do for me.”
[i] * Name changed for privacy reasons.
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