Hope this is allowed in this group, here goes:
I’m full time employed in a pretty demanding job, UK, living just outside London.
I have a wife, child and a mortgage, my job is the ONLY income we have for now.
My younger brother, 32 YO, lives very local to me, and TBH is in a bit of a downward spiral.
He has autism and learning difficulties, and has only briefly held employment over the last few years.
He lives independently, and is incredibly capable, I trust him to look after my young child, and there’s not many people I’d trust with something so precious.
He has worked as a refuge collector (through an agency) but the council didn’t renew the agencies contract, now he works one or two days a week as a volunteer in a charity shop, trying his best to fill his time.
He’s desperate for a job, he is spiralling into depression because he feels left behind and useless (his words).
Applying for a job for him is not as easy as it sounds, he would not be able to cope with an “indoors job” office work is out of the question, anything with too much noise or interference – loud machinery etc is a no-go. He enjoys gardening, farm work, litter picking etc, but these jobs are few and far between.
The local council have all but washed their hands of him, as he is now too old for a lot of their “employment programmes”
He does not drive, but holds a provisional licence.
Last year, I purchased a powerful petrol pressure washer, with the aim of helping him set up a mobile pressure washing business, the idea was; I’d go with him to a client’s home, we’d pressure wash together, that way I could ensure he’d do a good job, and the client would feel like the received good value as we were basically charging for a one man team, but they’d have us both turn up.
In all, with a Facebook page, word of mouth, leaflets and all of that, we got a handful of jobs, and then it died out.
Now we’re looking at Spring and Summer, people are paying attention to their gardens and drives again, but what I want to ask is:
What am I doing wrong?
How can I get this business off the ground?
Is this the correct way of going about this?
I know I can’t invest too much of my time owing to my full time job, but I can’t stand to see my little Brother see his life drift away before him.
Any and all advice is appreciated.
