Elisa joined the GRoW Programme in March 2024 and has now started a new part-time job in retail at Wilko. Elisa has been supported throughout her journey to work by her Adviser, Sheeja. Together they worked on her CV, job applications, and building her confidence. Elisa has shown real determination and has taken important steps towards building a better future for herself and her daughter.
Elisa said “I joined GRoW a year ago. At the time, I wasn’t working and I wasn’t sure where to start. I have worked before — I did packing jobs through an agency and worked at Poundland — but I lost my job when I was pregnant. That was back in 2022, so I had been out of work for a while.
I wanted to work again, but it felt hard. I have a young daughter who is 2 years old, and I’m also on pre-settled status, which makes things more complicated sometimes. I didn’t know what support I could get or how to find a job that would fit around my life.
Sheeja from GRoW really helped me. She really went above and beyond. She worked with me to update my CV and apply for jobs, checking in with me and encouraging me to keep going. She helped me get a reference, which is really important when you haven’t worked for a while. She also helped me by advocating for me, speaking with other people and authorities on my behalf to help me when I needed to find new accommodation.
She personally helped me with job searching by telephoning me and inviting me in to the office to support me in applying online, through Indeed and other sites. I didn’t have much luck but then one day, I was out shopping and I saw a sign at Wilko saying they were hiring. I went in, filled out the form, and gave them my CV. A few days later, they called and offered me the job.
I now work part-time, Monday to Friday, 9am to 1pm. My daughter is in nursery and I pay a little extra so she can stay the extra hour while I work. It’s not always easy, but I’m proud to be working again.
GRoW has helped me a lot, especially Sheeja. She gave me support when I needed it most and helped me feel more confident. I’m really happy to be back at work and I feel more positive about the future.”