Better mental health and new career for SNG customer
SNG customer Amy was referred to our Employment and Skills team for support last year. She went for a consultation with the team after experiencing a particularly difficult time at work – which left her depressed, on anti-depressants and struggling with her mental health.
Amy was working for a courier when she was referred. In the months that followed, she was signed off work due to the impact her job was having on her health and wellbeing – and she was clear that what she really needed was a change.
Amy articulated what was making her so unhappy in her current role to our Employment Skills Coach, Kirsty. Listening carefully to what Amy wanted, Kirsty helped her to write a tailored CV playing to her strengths, transferable skills and own experiences.
Having experienced domestic abuse in a previous relationship, Amy was after a role where she was responsible for helping people. Kirsty supported Amy to identify what she wanted in a new role, giving her the confidence that her own personal experience, together with her transferable skills, meant she did have the required knowledge to do the roles she aspired to.
Speaking about the support she received from SNG, Amy said: “I don’t know where I would be now without Employment and Skills support. Having someone there to keep me in check really helped.”
Amy’s goal was to find a position where she could help women, and she later decided she wanted to help those who had been involved in the criminal justice system.
Kirsty gave advice on interview techniques and arranged for Amy to take part in a Trauma Awareness Certificate with the New Skills Academy. This course was recommended to help Amy secure work in her chosen field by providing her with a certificate showing she had a good understanding of the different types of trauma, knew about the importance of timely intervention, plus the various coping strategies.
As a result of the support from SNG, Amy is now working as a criminal justice keyworker, helping women affected by addiction and multiple disadvantages. She’s achieved her goal which is to help others by offering one to one support, guidance, information and sign posting. Using a trauma-informed approach, she plays a pivotal role in helping women that have been involved in the criminal justice system to achieve long-term lasting change and improve their circumstances.
Amy continued: “I couldn’t ask for a better job. I don’t get down days anymore and it has meant I am no longer taking antidepressants. The Employment and Skills team has helped me so much.”
To support customers to find work and better work, SNG also offers grants to eligible customers. Amy received support through our work grant so she could buy new clothes for her interview and feel more confident about starting her job.
If, like Amy, you think you’d benefit from some guidance finding work or better work, please get in touch with our Employment and Skills team by emailing supportforyou@sng.org.uk or head to our webpage for further details.