Zamurd came to the GRoW Programme in the Summer of 2022 looking for help to pursue her dream of becoming a Teaching Assistant. Having completed some courses already, with GRoW’s help she is now volunteering in a school and has enrolled on a Level 2 Teaching Assistant Course.
Zamurd said “I did a Childcare course at Harlington Adult Learning Centre in Hillingdon, last September, finishing in January this year and I knew that this was the career I wanted to pursue. I learned about GRoW through my child’s school and decided to go on the programme to see how they could help me and they have been a guiding force in realising my goal.
They recommended I do a Food Hygiene course and a Safeguarding course and also spoke to me about the idea of exploring volunteering opportunities. This was really important for me as it has enabled me to build experience and knowledge on the job and has made me realise even more that working with children is something I really enjoy.
To secure the volunteering position I approached my child’s school, Grange Park Infants School in Hillingdon, and I met with their Principal and I was so happy when they offered me a placement. I am now working there as a volunteer and am thoroughly enjoying it.
Being part of GRoW has been really insightful to find out what I need to do be work-ready. Since coming to the UK 15 years ago I have not worked and so I was aware I needed to gain some experience and that this would be really important for my CV. GRoW recommended I do a Food Hygiene Course and a Safeguarding course as both would be relevant and important to be able to work in a school setting. They also taught me interview skills which will be so useful when I start applying for jobs.
I have four children, my eldest is 15 and my youngest is 5, and so now is a really good time for me to start thinking about going back to work. Volunteering at the school has been so important to my journey as it has helped me build my confidence. The school staff have known me for a long time, since my older child was a pupil there, but they only knew me in capacity of a parent. Now they know me in the capacity of a worker and it’s amazing to see how they trust me and value me as a contributor. It’s a real boost for my confidence and my CV.
Being part of GRoW has been an amazing experience for me and now I am really looking forward to starting the Level 2 Teaching Assistant course to take the next step towards reaching my goal. “