28 Jun 2022

A Rotherham man has thanked a group of employment experts who are helping him to reach his goals of working in policing.

Nhyan Yatim, 28, who is originally from Iraq, has long since dreamed of working in the police.

But despite coming to the UK a few years ago with good qualifications earnt overseas, he struggled to get them recognised in England and was finding it hard to obtain work because of a lack of identification.

His luck changed when he was referred to Riverside Training for help.

Riverside Training, which is part of Acis Group, delivers adult education and employability services across the county on behalf of the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority.

There, he was partnered with Employment Coach Roberta Brackenbury, who started by tackling the identification issue.

Nhyan said: “I had been trying for five or six months to get my correct identification, but I got it within a couple of weeks of Roberta helping. She contacted my MP, who sorted it straight away.”

Roberta also supported Nhyan with confidence boosting and budgeting sessions as well as practical support to find a suitable job.

With Nhyan speaking four different languages, including four dialects of Kurdish, he is now working as a freelance translator, working across South Yorkshire in hospitals, police stations and courts – wherever he is needed.

The pair are now working with Sheffield Hallam University to assess Nhyan’s skills and qualifications and will be undertaking further learning in the autumn, with either a police apprenticeship or a criminology and policing course at a local college.

Nhyan added: “It’s all going really well. Everything is on track. My job is freelance so I’ll go wherever I’m needed and do as many jobs as I can get to in time. Roberta and the Riverside team have helped me a lot. The service is really ten out of ten.”

“Policing is my dream career. Everything I do is working towards that goal and Riverside are really helping me to reach that point.

Roberta said: “It has been a pleasure working with Nhyan. He is very determined and I have enjoyed working with him.”

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