A former bullying victim who became a top body-builder is using his story to help jobless people get back into work.

Graham Hogg, 29, is "Mr Inspiration" at the A4e Pathways office, in Devonshire Street, Keighley, with the task of encouraging people on incapacity benefits to change their lives and find a job.

As the directions facilitator in the West Yorkshire occupational support team, Graham is helping to pioneer a programme to make people feel better about themselves through health and fitness.

Many visitors to the Pathways office have been out of work for a while, and are feeling down and dejected.

Graham said: "With my qualifications and experience I am trying to make a positive change to the customers who come through our doors. I would like to have a positive impact in their life and make them feel better in the hope of trying to get them into work.

"Any small changes can make a big difference. A small amount of physical exercise can ward off anxiety and stress. They are two of the biggest conditions of people who are out of work and it doesn't need to be that way."

Graham takes classes and teaches people about how nutrition, motivation, self-esteem, diet and exercise can make a difference to how they feel about their lives.

Graham puts his success and determination down to what he has been through in life.

At just 13 Graham lost both his parents and made the Army his family, joining at 16. But because he was young and of a small build, he began to get bullied.

He said: "I thought, if I went to the gym and got big, people would stop bullying me - and that is exactly what happened."

While Graham was in the Army he became a physical training instructor. When he left at 24, he worked as a personal trainer at Fitness First in Keighley before joining Pathways.

Shortly afterwards he became interested in body building. He has now won the North East body building championships and was Flex magazine body builder of the year 2007.

In September he is due to fly to Las Vegas, where he will be a VIP guest at Mr Olympia, and he has landed sponsorship with supplement company BNN and will appear in a trans-Atlantic television advert.

He said: "Where I have got I have got through working hard. I have had a lot to deal with and I have dealt with it as well as I can and made it work for me. I do not think I could do the job I do without being so inspired, motivated and active."

After the success of Graham's inspiration programme, Pathways initiatives are soon to be delivered in the company's offices across the country.

The Keighley office offers free training, support and advice to help people return to work. Ring 01535 891000.