Dad left homeless at 16 after drugs caused rift with parents turns life around thanks to Jobs First programme

A young dad who was left homeless at 16 after drugs caused a rift with his parents has since turned his life around.

Michael McPhee cycled through a number of temporary jobs trying to make ends meet until, on his 17th birthday, he found out he was to become a father for the first time.

With fatherhood on the horizon, Michael focused on finding stable work to support his daughter – but his personal circumstances made it difficult to secure steady, suitable employment.

Without a fixed address, he couldn’t provide the documentation needed for formal, full-time work, so he relied on couch surfing and cash-in-hand jobs to get by.

Michael, now 23, told STV News: “As soon as you were in the job, there was no support.

“There was little to no security in the jobs I had and because of this I was always left uncertain about my future within organisations, and where I would be left when it ended.

“I was fighting an uphill battle to work. I was under-valued and felt completely helpless and alone, especially when challenges arose within the organisation.

“The programmes which helped me get the roles washed their hands of me as soon as I started.”

After a year of unemployment, Michael joined Social Bite’s Jobs First programme for six months.

He is now working in a front-of-house role at Mitchells and Butlers’ Harvester in Glasgow.

Michael now works front-of-house at a Harvester restaurant in Glasgow STV News

Since landing the role, Michael feels valued, happy and in control of his life for the first time.

“From the get-go, I have had loads of support not only finding a job but adapting to my new routine and developing the necessarily skills,” he said.

“I’ve been loving my role at Harvester and have been named employee of the month in recognition of my customer service abilities.”

The Jobs First scheme that helped Michael is an innovative employment initiative supporting individuals with lived experience of homelessness.

Different to other employment programmes, it provides support to both the employee and employer helping them both balance the challenges that arise.

Marzena Farana-Sherlock is director of social impact at Social Bite.

She said: “This systemic issue needs to change, so at Social Bite, we took action to break this cycle in a sustainable way.

“Thanks to the hard work of everyone involved, we are already witnessing remarkable outcomes that benefit all stakeholders and the UK economy.”

Social Bite's social impact director Marzena Farana-Sherlock — Social Bite’s social impact director Marzena Farana-Sherlock STV News

Jobs First’s primary goal is to support people who have experienced homelessness into real job opportunities and to increase the opportunities available to them within the job market.

However, an independent evaluation by the University of Edinburgh has highlighted the additional social and economic benefits the programme has.

It found that every £1 invested in Social Bite’s Jobs First programme yields an estimated £3 worth of social benefits.

It also said the programme enhances UK public finances by at least £0.71 per £1 investment

Almost 100 people and ten employers are now working with the Jobs First programme.

For Michael however, beyond the pounds and pence of wages, the benefits have been much more significant.

“I finally feel secure, and it’s been a huge relief to know I can not only provide for myself but my daughter,” he said.

“For the first time since I left home, my fridge is always full, and I have the financial freedom to finally focus on myself, my happiness and that of my daughter.”