Uzma finds a School Job

Posted on by heathercette

After recolating to London from India in 2022 Uzma enrolled in GRoW’s ‘Preparing to Work in Schools’ programme and has now found a part-time job with an agency Zen Educate working with primary school children with a focus on additional needs. She is also exploring voluntary opportunities to boost her learning and skills.

Uzma said; “I feel blessed to have been part of the GRoW programme in London since September this year. When the GRoW Team visited my daughter’s school to introduce parents to their programme I was immediately interested in what they had to offer.  Having only been in the UK for 6 months I was finding it a bit of a struggle at times and wanted to feel I was moving forward.  I needed opportunities to meet other people and feel I was getting somewhere. What I found at GRoW was a unique opportunity to connect with other like-minded people and a welcome community of women who were ready and willing to support each other and strive to do well.

Even though I have worked as a Primary School Teacher, Social Worker and School Administrator in the Middle East and India and have a Bachelor and Masters Degree my qualifications are unfortunately not recognised in the UK so when I joined the Preparing to Work in Schools programme I was feeling a bit down and worried about my future prospects. Kaneez really helped me through it and advised me to start slowly, take small steps and build up, which I thought was good advice.  Sonia was also fantastic and I am so grateful for her help in boosting my confidence and spurring me on, as too did Mercedes who had many words of valuable advice for me to learn from.  Sonia suggested I do some voluntary work to boost my skills and CV and so I applied to Learn Hillingdon and I have an interview for a voluntary position in April which I am looking forward to.

The Preparing to Work in Schools programme was really valuable and after completing it I applied to a local education charity and they have offered me a part-time position working with primary school-aged children in and around the borough of Hillingdon. This is a great start for me as I can only work part-time at the moment as I also have a 3 year-old son who is not yet in school full time.  Combining work with the charity and hopefully the voluntary position too will build my reputation and skills here in the UK and I can then work towards a higher position within the teaching profession in the future.

I am so grateful to GRoW for the opportunities they have given me. For someone who is quite new to this country being part of the programme has been so beneficial, even the weekly coffee mornings which I often attend in person, are really valuable. They are so joyful and give you the chance to meet people from so many different backgrounds and the speakers from local groups and organisations that join the sessions are always so informative – it’s a great opportunity for networking and I love how I became part of the team. I am now looking forward to my new job and to the future.”

Robini Achieves Dream Job as School Teaching Assistant

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Robini had not worked for 6 years after leaving her job as a client relationship manager in India when she was expecting her first child. After moving to the UK she became a mum to two young children and came to GRoW looking for help on her journey back to work. Robini has now been offered a job as a Teaching Assistant and is looking forward to starting a new career working with children with special educational needs.

Robini said; “I first heard about GRoW through a friend who explained that they had a special programme that helps mums get back to work. At the time my youngest son was only two years old and I was a very busy mum trying to juggle everything. It was difficult to find the time to really focus on getting a job but I knew I needed to start thinking about it.  I got in touch with Kaneez at GRoW and she invited me to a Coffee Morning which was a great introduction.

What I really liked about GRoW was that it never felt like they were pressurising me.  I was invited to events and if I was able to go then I would. If I wasn’t able to join one day then I could join another day.  It felt really relaxed and as it fitted in with my life it was easy to engage with.

I already knew that I wanted to work in a school and had undertaken a range of training courses including: working with Syrian refugees; Early Years Foundation for Childhood; Safeguarding 2; Safeguarding 3 and a Level 3 ESOL.  I had also been volunteering at a local church helping to teach children at Sunday School.  I had the courses and the volunteering behind me but no relevant work experience and had no idea what I needed to do next to reach my goal.

It was during one of the GRoW Coffee Mornings that things really clicked for me.  They had invited a guest speaker from a local school along to talk about how they began their teaching career. The speaker explained that they had no previous experience when they started working in their profession but had managed to work their way up from a School Meals Supervisor position.  It was so insightful and encouraging to see that it was possible and it gave me the motivation I needed to get started.

I went on to Sonia’s CV and Interview Workshop and with Tosin’s (my Adviser) help I started applying for jobs, she was very supportive. Sonia also gave me a huge amount of help and even worked with me once on a Sunday to do a mock interview, explaining how to present myself and giving me points to practice. I really can’t overstate the difference it made as when I was offered the opportunity to attend an interview I put all of the training I’d learned into practice and I cracked it first time!

Even though GRoW gave me new tools to put into practice the biggest thing they did for me was give me belief in myself. They are fantastic at guiding women as they understand what support we need. They never pressurise, they give you space to work things out for yourself and guide you on your chosen path.  I feel very proud now to have been offered the job as a Teaching Assistant and I can’t wait to start my new career.”

Mihaela seeks growth with GRoW’s support, aims to increase work hours

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Mihaela came to the GRoW Programme in May 2022 as she was looking at going back to work after a 5 year break to have her youngest child.  With previous retail experience she found seasonal work as a temporary retail assistant and was offered an extension on her contract to work 8 hours a week.  Mihaela is now looking to increase her hours with GRoW’s support.

Mihaela said; “I was referred to GRoW from my local jobcentre in Hillingdon where I was on the Restart scheme.  As I am quite a shy person my job coach thought I would benefit from GRoW’s approach and understanding in helping mums get back to work and connecting me with other women who are in a similar position to myself.

GRoW have helped me so much by getting me involved in activities and meeting new people.  They have offered me so much support from helping me create a CV to giving me practical advice and tips on interviews.  They’ve also offered a lot of advice on courses too and I am considering enrolling on an ESOL course with Uxbridge College to improve my language and communication.

I worked in retail in Romania before coming to the UK in 2016 and though I did some cleaning work in private homes when I first came here I haven’t worked since having my son 5 years ago.  As I have retail experience I applied for a temporary Christmas job at Primark last November where I was doing 20 hours just for December and have been working there ever since on a part time basis for 8 hours a week.  It’s been great and I really enjoy it but I do need to increase my hours to 25 hours a week and so have been actively looking for opportunities.  I applied for a job in the Cash Office where I work and was offered an interview but I unfortunately didn’t get the job.  Though it was a disappointment I haven’t lost heart as I know other opportunities will come along soon.  I also feel I benefited a lot from the experience as I can put what I have learned into practice for future interviews and I think it will help me know now what to expect.  There were some questions around my accomplishments and team work that I found quite difficult to answer and so I know I need to prepare my answers for these questions should they come up again in the future.

Being part of the GRoW programme has helped me a lot with my confidence and I really feel they support me with everything. The GRoW app is also really useful and I love the things they do like offering motivational prizes and rewards. I look at the app every day, whenever I have spare time and it is something that really motivates me. There is a lot of useful information about childcare and courses and job vacancies too. Even now I just checked the app and saw that Costco have a part time position available which could be good for me to apply for!

Sajida Lands a School SMSA Job

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Sajada came to GRoW in February 2023 looking for assistance in finding a part-time job that would fit around her two young children.  She found inspiration at our Preparing to Work in Schools Workshop and has now been offered a job in a school as a School Meals Supervisory Assistant.

Sajada said; “I am an experienced and fully trained hairdresser but the Hairdressing Salons I was enquiring about jobs at were only offering full-time and weekend-working positions which are not convenient for me due to having young children to look after.  I knew I needed a part-time job and was looking for jobs all the time but it was hard to find something suitable with the right hours and flexibility.

A friend told me about GRoW and I went along to the GRoW HQ in Hillingdon where I met Khatera, who became my Adviser, and told her what I needed help with.  Khatera’s first step was to get me started on the GRoW app which opened up a whole new world of opportunities for me.

The GRoW app gave me so many ideas of what I could do and how to start my journey into work.  There were events I could book myself on to such as the CV and Interview Workshops and One to Ones as well as weekly Coffee Mornings.  I immediately booked myself on to everything available and from that point on I felt I was part of a community.  The Coffee Mornings are fantastic, every week there is a different guest speaker from a local organisation talking about a range of things such as different job opportunities and how to get work in different sectors.  I always made sure to attend these events because they offer such a wealth of knowledge as well as an opportunity to meet with other women on the programme and share experiences.

At an Interview One to One with GRoW’s Sonia Puri she suggested I look into school jobs as an option as she felt it would be a good move for me due to the term-time working hours that schools offer.  It wasn’t something I had thought about before and I had no idea where to look for school jobs as they had never come up in any of my previous job searches.  I went back to Khatera for help and she enrolled me onto GRoW’s Preparing to Work in School Workshop.  It was a great opportunity to find out what I needed to know about getting a job in a school.  Khatera then supported me in registering on to a dedicated schools job site called Crinkle which had lots of school jobs vacancies in my area and I applied for quite a few SMSA positions.  When I went along to the GRoW Coffee Morning that week I was thrilled to see that a representative from the Eden Academy, a school I had applied to earlier that week, was speaking and so I asked Khatera to mention my application and I was really pleased to receive an email a few days later offering me an interview.

To help me prepare, Sonia did a last minute practice interview with me the day before and we ran through a few scenarios that were likely to come up, including issues such as safeguarding.  This was so beneficial as when I went along to the interview I felt very confident, well-prepared and ready to answer any questions.  I put all the techniques I’d learned into practice and I obviously did a good job because I was offered the job!

Being on the GRoW Programme has been life-changing for me.  As a mother and wife we know lots of things and do lots of things but we often lack inspiration and the support to say ‘yes I can do that’. The encouragement and inspiration I’ve received from all the other ladies on the programme was fantastic; it taught me to believe in myself and to do what I want to do.

The GRoW app is also such a great tool to have, there is information for you to see from morning until night and it is all so useful!  When you are a mum and are in the home you are busy working all the time and can be oblivious to what is going on outside. The GRoW app connects you to everything that is happening around you and lets you see what is going on. The events are brilliant and through the GRoW app you can join what you want, when you want, really easily. I have been to so many GRoW events and wish I had the time to go to all of them as you take away so much knowledge from each one.  On the app you also get inspirational and motivational messages that put you in good spirits for the day. I often spend time in the evenings reading the articles and commenting on people’s posts and it feels very much like a community.

I start my new job in April and will be working Monday to Friday 11.30am until 2.00pm and I also plan to continue with my hairdressing part-time which fits in perfectly around my family. I’m really grateful to GRoW for all their help and especially for giving me back my self-belief.”

GRoW Wishes Maria All the Best on Her New Journey: Farewell, and Good Luck on Achieving Your Dream Job!

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We were sad to see our GRoW Adviser Maria Beuca leave our team a few weeks ago to pursue a new career as a Recycling Officer for Hillingdon Council. Maria has been a valued member of the GRoW Team for over 2 years and has been an integral part of our team since coming through the Programme as a participant.  Though we are so sorry to see Maria go, we are also delighted for her as she enters this new chapter in her life.

We spoke to Maria about her time spent as a GRoW Employability Adviser, what she has learned along the way and what advice and insights she can share with GRoW participants.

What has been the best thing about working at GRoW?

So many things combined, and it is hard to pick just one thing. But to keep it short, I would say that being part of an amazing team of women who made working for GRoW fun and friendly, while also being professional; working with so many wonderful mothers and being able to understand their personal life stories, which helped very much in offering tailored support. I was happy to assist them to progress, alongside my colleagues and the work has been so rewarding and insightful for me.

What have you learned through your time at GRoW, personally and professionally?

When I first joined GRoW, I undertook training related to domestic violence and that really helped me to have the appropriate approach when speaking with mothers who went through abuse. It also opened my eyes into a complex subject I knew very little about.

My learning curve then began as an Adviser and I learned so many things in the process, such as learning the basics about the Employability Sector, learning about how to be a good Adviser, time management, about good employability skills for our participants, childcare options for mothers living in different London Boroughs, available support for single mothers, the importance of Adult Education services and local colleges to help mothers with gaining basic skills or accessing different courses, the importance of good management and peer support, the importance of good collaboration with other organisations, and so much more.

As time went by and after attending some great events, I gained a deeper understanding of the Employability Sector and the hard work taking place behind the scenes, as so many people and organisations have a main goal to support people going back into employment and education, looking at the complexity of the situation and trying to bring positive change in the sector, which will then influence people’s lives for the best.

I discovered a part of myself that was dormant for years, that of a working mother, and that was very refreshing and a boost for my self-confidence. I remembered that I wanted to achieve things in life outside of my household and that starting work after years of unemployment can sound daunting but actually, once the right opportunity arrives, it can have a positive impact on your life as a woman. I understood more about my existing skills, and I pushed myself to gain further skills along the way.

I also understood about myself that I am a feminist and that we, as mothers and women, should be kind and supportive to one another, as we share an intimate understanding of what it is like to be mothers and women.

I learned about diversity and the importance of keeping an open mind and have a non-judgemental approach towards everyone I meet.

When you first came to GRoW what were you looking to achieve, have you achieved what you wanted or have your goals and ambitions changed?

At first, I was part of the GRoW programme as a participant for about a year and then, when a job with GRoW became available and I applied, I was offered a part time job. I was quite lost in the beginning, due to a significant gap since my last employment, as well as working remote. But the team has kindly shifted me in the right direction and I have grown immensely in the last couple of years, since I started. I would say that I went from having very little expectations for myself, to feeling significantly confident in the work I was doing and what I had to offer to an employer, two years later.

What is the job that you are now going to be doing and is this something you have always wanted to do?

My hope (and passion) has always been to be able to work in a role where I would have the opportunity to create positive changes in matters related to socio-environmental issues – and I completed a master’s degree in Environment and Sustainable Development in 2015. I realised shortly after that it would be very hard to get a job in this field without having previous sector-related experience. And yet here I am today, years later, and I can say I am part of a team which works hard to create positive change for the environment, as they try to promote and encourage various free recycling opportunities for all Hillingdon residents. It is an exciting role, and I am keen to start this new journey.

Is there anything you would like to say to GRoW participants about their learning journeys and any insights you can share?

There’s so many things I learned in the past years that I wish I could share with you all – but that would take too long to do here.:)  A few important things that helped me to progress:

  • Allow space and time to look after your general wellbeing. Improve your awareness of who you are – Mercedes’ workshops were like a wake-up call to me, several years ago, when I was feeling lost and I highly recommend attending them.
  • Push yourself to learn new things all the time. Improve your skills, step by step, especially your digital skills (it’s a digital world all around us) and if your dream job means starting a college degree or a university degree, it is never too late to do it.
  • Improve your networks – it can bring about various opportunities.
  • Attend the employability workshops and follow Sonia’s advice on how to prepare for an interview. I personally spent hours in preparing for my last interviews and I was successful in all of them. If I can, so can you.
  • Aim for more, don’t settle with low paid jobs or unsuitable working conditions, find out what you need to do to get a higher paid job, find out what you like to do and what you don’t like to do and make a list of suitable jobs. Review your application process with Sonia to make sure you increase your chances at being shortlisted for an interview.
  • Volunteering is amazing when you need to add experience on your CV.
  • Ask questions when you’re unsure of things, work hard for the things that you want to achieve.

I hope you will enjoy your journey with GRoW as much as I did. 😊

GRoW launch new employability programme to help support Ukrainian refugees into work

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Training and Development specialists Belina GRoW are helping to support women who have fled the Russian invasion of Ukraine by helping them to find jobs across London. The new initiative, which began last week, is currently offering support to 30 women in the London Borough of Kingston by providing advice, help and guidance on childcare, job searching, careers and education as well as practical assistance on CV writing and interview skills.

Olena Sturrock who is leading on the programme said; “The biggest barrier to employment that most of the women are facing is with language.  Those who need it are currently undertaking ESOL courses at Kingston College to address this but whilst they are studying they still want to find work but have so far found it difficult to navigate the system. I am really pleased that through GRoW’s dedicated programme I am able to offer a helping hand to fellow Ukrainian’s by providing free translation services and access to specialist employability support from expert advisers who have extensive knowledge of how to support women who face multiple barriers into work.”

The women on the programme come from a wide variety of career backgrounds including accountancy, interior design, hairdressing, teaching and media with different levels of education (Levels 1-4 equivalent). Many however are unable to pursue similar jobs in the UK due to the differing skills, qualifications and language requirements and need help to learn employability techniques in the UK so they can find alternative jobs. Most of the women also have more than one child and need support to access childcare so that they are able to work.

Liz Sewell, Founder and Director of Belina GRoW said; “We specialise in supporting women with complex barriers to employment and we have a unique approach that focuses on raising their confidence and motivation.  Through this programme we are delighted to be able to help these women who have been displaced from their jobs in Ukraine and are trying to support themselves and their children through an extremely tough time in their lives.

Our programme offers practical and well-being support in a friendly and nurturing way and a space for them to come together with other Ukrainian women who are in a similar position so they can draw support from one another.  Our employability programme teaches them the tools and techniques they need to search and apply for jobs in the UK as well as interview practice, childcare advice and insights into the transferrable skills they possess.”

Our next Ukrainian Women’s Employability Event will focus on how to create an effective CV and how to prepare for an interview and will take place on 7th February on Zoom.  For more information contact info@belinagrow.co.uk

Diana follows her dreams

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Diana joined GRoW to help her find work after being made redundant from her office administrator job and is now looking forward to a new start working with Heathrow Security.

Diana said; “I first met GRoW at a Jobs Fair in Uxbridge where I was attending with my mother. Due to the war breaking out my mother had joined me in the UK and we went along to see if we could find part time work that would enable us to work shifts and look after my young daughter between us.

GRoW explained that they could help with writing CVs, Cover Letters and Interview Practice which were all things I needed support with.  I had been applying for jobs prior to joining GRoW but was lacking these skills. I also felt I needed some help with my self confidence as I had been at home for two years after being made redundant during the pandemic whilst I was expecting my daughter.  Being pregnant, I found it really hard to get another job and when my daughter arrived and I was a single parent with no support around me it became even more difficult.  I was really pleased when my mum came over in March and we found a way forward for both of us to be able to work.

I have worked previously in a range of different jobs from Business Administration, Sales Assistant, Waitress and Customer Services which I particularly enjoyed because I like communicating with people, helping to solve problems and issues. I also like to challenge myself and have always been interested in working in enforcement in some way, whether for the police, immigration, border force or security. I applied to the Metropolitan Police for a voluntary position which unfortunately never materialised due to the pandemic but I continued to pursue my dream and applied to Heathrow for a Security Officer job which involves being responsible for the safety of passengers and visitors.  I am currently waiting for them to complete their security checks but they have arranged for me to start training with a view to starting work in the next few months.

GRoW have been really helpful through the process, asking me if I needed any help with the application, upgrading my out-of-date CV, giving me an opportunity to brush up my interview skills and even offering suitable clothing for the interview.  All the help they gave me has raised my confidence too which is something I really needed.

With the GRoW Programme there is no one thing that helps on its own, it’s the overall offer they provide, the positive attitude and the support from the whole team.  They are always there to offer advice and offer so many different ways to get involved, from online and in-person events and to celebrations like the party we had at Christmas.  It was so positive and encouraging and it really motivates you, especially after being at home for a long time. To be able to go out there and present yourself, meet new people and communicate is really important.  I had been surrounded by people who only speak Ukranian and was actually forgetting how to speak and write English!  Talking to new people and making conversations in an informal setting really helped me to get my language skills back.

My mum found a part-time job at a bakery at the Jobs Fair and is now working 2 days a week so she can help look after my daughter when I am working but I am currently working with Maria my GRoW Adviser to register my daughter with childcare so I know I have backup for when my mum goes back to Ukraine.

I’m really pleased I joined GRoW. The team are so motivating, encouraging us to put ourselves out there. Like they say ‘nobody is going to come knocking on your door – you need to out and find it!’ another thing they say is ‘If you don’t try it, how do you know you don’t want it?’ – I think these are two really good mottos to stand by and I have to say they have worked for me!

Announcing our new Employability Support Worker, Sheeja Sethumadhavan

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Belina GRoW are delighted to announce that our small team is growing with a second Employability Support Worker appointment being awarded to Sheeja Sethumadhavan who has joined us in the role of Employability Support Worker.

Sheeja is a former participant of the GRoW Programme, having come to us for support in helping her get back to work once her son started full time education.  Sheeja has a strong work background in the IT sector and will be continuing her studies to improve her professional qualifications with a view to her personal and professional career progression.

Sheeja’s role as Employability Support Worker will focus mainly on working with participants on the GRoW Programme to improve their CVs and supporting Belina’s Employability Lead Sonia Puri to help participants achieve their career goals.

Speaking of her appointment Sheeja said “I am really happy to be a member of the GRoW Team. Coming through the GRoW Programme myself I have experienced first-hand the benefits GRoW has to offer, particularly in the ways it builds people’s confidence and motivation. It made a huge difference to me and I have total admiration for the amazing work the team provide and deliver to their participants.”

Sheeja speaks six community languages which will is beneficial to her role as speaking with people from many different cultures and backgrounds is a key part of her job.  Sheeja said; “One of the things I am really enjoying about my new role is the fact that I get to work with so many people with diverse backgrounds and very different experiences of life. Also finding out about the jobs people have done in the past is really interesting as I learn so much about the skills, knowledge and experience people need for different job roles.  Being able to help people by improving their CVs and helping them see the different skills they have is also really good as it’s very motivating for them.

I have really enjoyed my first couple of weeks supporting people with their CVs and I am over the moon to now be part of the Belina GRoW team.”

Syeda Sultana joins the GRoW Team

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Belina GRoW are delighted to announce that Syeda Sultana has joined the GRoW team as our new Employability Support Worker and will be working with our in-work participants and our Bengali speaking participants.

Syeda brings with her a wealth of customer experience which she gained in her previous employment as a Post Office Branch Manager, a position she held for 11 years in branches of WHSmith’s including their flagship Oxford Street branch in London. She is also a former participant of the GRoW Programme having come to us for support to find a job when she was made redundant and became long-term unemployed.  Syeda is a mother to two children and also volunteers at a local school.

Speaking of her appointment Syeda said; “I am really excited about becoming a member of the GRoW Team.  Ever since I came to GRoW as a participant in July 2021 I have been constantly impressed with the organisation’s ethos and values.  Being given the opportunity to be part of the team is a huge achievement for me and I am so looking forward to beginning my journey as an Employability Support Worker, helping to support people to find work or progress in work.

Since coming on to the GRoW Programme I have been working to enhance my knowledge and skills through a range of training courses. I have completed a BTEC Level 1 in Customer Services with Twiin and gained a Level 1 Employability Certificate from Strive Training.  I have also started a Level 3 Teaching Assistant course with ABM and work in a school twice a week on a voluntary basis.  These learning opportunities have really helped to boost my confidence and employability skills and helped me think about the sort of career I want to do.

Being a mum it was really important for me to find a job that would allow me to work flexible hours and one of the many great things about Belina GRoW is that it is an organisation that not only acknowledges this, but also champions it.  All of the GRoW Team members work flexibly and have that complete understanding of what it means to be a working mum.  Joining GRoW is the ultimate dream for me as I can work term-time only and I can also work from home which gives me the freedom I need to be able to work around my family.”

Liz Sewell FIEP, Founder and Director of Belina GRoW said; “Syeda is a huge asset to our growing GRoW Team.  She has been an engaged and active participant throughout her journey on the GRoW Programme, always striving to improve and enhance her knowledge and her strong bi-language skills and customer service experience will be a real advantage when supporting our participants to find sustainable work or progress in work.

Our flexible working policy is enabling us to attract a high level of talent into our growing workforce and at the same time provide more opportunities for working mums to achieve a proper work/life balance. This is something we are really proud of and will continue to champion as an important employment choice.”

Poonam starts work in a school

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Poonam joined GRoW in Summer 2022 looking for help to find a part-time job.  Being new to London she was lacking in confidence but has received help from GRoW to help her on her journey to finding a job in a school which she started recently.

Poonam said; “I had only just moved to London from Kent when my friend told me all about GRoW and how much they had helped her.  I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do for work but I knew I wanted to get a job and that I needed some help to get ready, this was why I came to GRoW and I am really glad I did!

When I was introduced to Kaneez from the GRoW team she was very helpful and supportive. She explained how GRoW works and all the different ways the Programme could help me. I had a little work experience from when I worked in a care home in 2018, but I wasn’t sure that this was the line of work I wanted to do and was interested in exploring new opportunities.  The most important thing for me was that I needed the job to be part time because I have a young daughter and I am a single parent so full-time work would be difficult for me right now.

The main issue I felt I had was that I didn’t have much confidence and I also being new to London meant I didn’t have a support network around me.

After discussing options with Kaneez I became interested in the idea of working in a school as it would enable me to work just in term time which fits in with my family life better.

I was keen to start looking for work straight away but my CV was quite out of date so Sonia quickly helped me get into good shape.  It helped me with my confidence a lot because it made me feel I was getting closer to my goal.  I had previously completed a Food & Hygiene course when I was living in Kent and also started a Health and Social care course which was useful for my CV but as I had set my heart on working in a school I spoke with Kaneez about doing a Safeguarding course which I hope I will be able to do soon.

The whole process of being part of GRoW really helped to improve my confidence and motivation so much so that when a friend told me about a job going for a Kitchen Assistant in a local school I felt really confident putting myself forward for it.  I applied and when I was offered an interview Sonia did a quick one-to-one interview session with me to make sure I was ready.  I went for the interview and I got the job!

I am really grateful to GRoW for all their help and support and for helping me to improve my confidence. Being part of the GRoW Community is something I would like to continue, even though I have a job now, as I really enjoy being part of the network and my daughter really loves the picnics too!”