Case Studies

New start for Anne

Anne Brechin was made redundant from The Pier in Nottingham just before Christmas last year. With the decline in the retail sector and the uncertainty of a long-term job in retailing, Anne started to think about a change in career and the possibility of starting her own business.

Not sure about how to go about it, Anne sought help from nextstep redundancy specialist Linda Stevenson. After looking at all the options with Anne, Linda managed to get her a place on a pre-self employment course.

“I didn’t know the first thing about setting up a business until I got help from Linda” said Anne. “I knew there were a lot of support services out there, but it can get very confusing. Linda gave me really good advice and attending the pre-self employment course gave me the information I needed to make an informed decision. I have now started my business on a part-time basis and Linda also helped me find work as a care assistant to help me in the short term”.

Esther lands dream job

Esther Winn, from Cropwell Bishop, Nottinghamshire had been unemployed for five years until she happened to be passing the Connexions Centre in Nottingham. Seeing that there was a careers advice service for adults available, she made an appointment to see adult guidance careers adviser Annie Tran.

Esther is a trained beauty therapist and achieved NVQ level 2 whilst practising. She also had experience of working in retail and sales after helping her husband run his business. However, Esther’s real career goal was to work in the care industry, ideally with the elderly.

Esther said; “I wanted to work in the care industry for some time, but thought that the opportunity had passed. Also being 44, I thought I was too old. Annie gave me some really good advice and helped me look at the ways that I could get into working in care”.

After only six weeks Esther got a job at St Andrews Lodge care home in Basford and she is already working towards her NVQ level 2 in Care.

“I couldn’t be happier with the ways things have worked out”, said Esther, “without Annie’s help, I wouldn’t be where I am today”.

“Have you done your homework yet mum?!”

Forty-four-year-old Geraldine came over to England from India with her two children and British husband. Growing up as one of eight children and coming from a family that didn’t have a lot of money, Geraldine left school early, with no qualifications, so she could look for work to help support her family.

Now living in Chesterfield, Geraldine works as a domestic assistant in the local hospital, and also volunteers for six hours a week at her children’s school, but she has always felt that her lack of qualifications was holding her back.

Whilst looking for potential courses at Chesterfield College, Geraldine was introduced to the nextstep adviser, Ina Jones, who encouraged her to book an appointment to find out how nextstep could help her. After looking at the career options available to her, Ina then helped Geraldine identify how she could achieve her goal to become a teaching assistant.

Now, after completing a ‘Skills for Life’ numeracy course, Geraldine is studying for a level 2 teaching assistant’s qualification.

“The nextstep service has really helped me improve my confidence and focus on my career goal,” says Geraldine. “Becoming a qualified teaching assistant is suddenly a reality, and with all my studying, I’ve even become an inspiration to my teenage children! These days they ask me if I’ve done my homework yet instead of the other way round!”

“I want my son to be proud of me”

By her own admission, twenty-one-year-old Leanne, from Allenton, Derby, was never really inspired by academic subjects at school, and ended up leaving with no qualifications. Her interest lay in looking after children, and she’d earn pocket money by babysitting for friends and family.

Without a job and as a lone parent to two and a half year old Cameron, Leanne felt that she was losing her social skills and self-confidence.

It was at this time that Leanne saw an advert for nextstep and it got her thinking about her future. Leanne arranged to meet up with Julie Benton, an adviser for nextstep at SureStart First Steps in Allenton, Derby.

“Leanne wanted to do something that would improve her chances of getting a career – but in something she was familiar and comfortable with,” explains Julie. “After finding out about her interest in childcare, I suggested that she could look into doing an NVQ level 2 qualification in Childcare”.

Inspired and motivated by Julie’s support, Leanne arranged for Cameron to be looked after in the SureStart crèche, and joined the course in September 2007. She is thoroughly enjoying the learning and has ambitions of continuing her studies with courses in literacy, numeracy and computers – with a view to eventually working as a teaching assistant, nursery nurse or crèche worker.

“I probably wouldn’t have joined this course if I hadn’t received the advice from Julie at nextstep,” says Leanne. “My social skills have improved as I’ve met new people, Cameron is enjoying his time in the crèche and I feel more confident as a mum! I want my son to be proud of me and thanks to the advice I received from nextstep, the course has given me the inspiration and confidence I need to better myself”.