Jarena Gets Back in to Work After Redundancy

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When Jarena was made redundant in July, after many years of working, she knew she wanted to get back into work. She had plenty of experience in accounts and accounts payable and knew that was the area she wanted to stay in, but it had been more than six years since she had updated her CV.

A friend told her about Grow and, towards the end of July, she came along and met Grow Coach Sheeja in Hillingdon.

Jarena and Sheeja spent several hours going through her CV together, looking at her experience and making some changes to how it was presented.

“It was very useful. She did tweak a few little bits which I didn’t even think about to do myself.”

There was some practical help too. Sheeja showed Jarena how to save her CV to a USB stick and how to access and send it from her phone, as well as helping her update her profile on CV-Library.

Jarena also joined a couple of Grow’s online sessions with Mercedes. One was about knowing your strengths, which helped her think about how she could talk about her experience and strengths if she was asked about them at interview.

“I found them very helpful and useful actually.”

It wasn’t long before Jarena started getting interviews. The first couple didn’t lead to a job, but she kept going. Then another interview came along.

“It was a conversation more than a formal interview and I felt prepared and confident. A couple of days later I was offered the job.”

Jarena is now back working in accounts for a pharmacy business. The role is part-time and only around a 20-minute drive from home, which is exactly what she was looking for.

Having worked for more than 40 years, Jarena had decided that this time she wanted to take a bit of a step back and work fewer hours. She’s enjoying being able to finish earlier and have the rest of the afternoon to herself.

When we caught up with her, she had only been in the job for a week, but things were already going well. The colleague training her had been telling her (and other people) how quickly she was picking everything up.

Jarena feels the support she received with her CV played a part in helping her get there.

“Because I had help with the CV, I think that probably did help me get noticed.”

“I found Grow very helpful and useful, I think it’s a great thing for women to be able to get this kind of support.”

Jarena is enjoying being back doing the kind of work she knows and with hours that work better for her now. Congratulations on the new job, Jarena and we hope it continues to go really well!

 

Vishnupriya Finds a Route Back into Finance Through Volunteering

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When Vishnupriya moved to the UK from India with her husband and two sons, she was eager to rebuild her career. With an MBA in Finance and a 13-year career break, she knew returning to work would not be easy. Thanks to support from Grow Adviser Iryna and an opportunity she discovered at the Kingston Volunteer Fair, Vishnupriya is now volunteering in a finance role that is helping her rebuild her confidence, improve her English and gain valuable UK experience.

“I met Iryna at a jobs fair in Kingston, where she told me all about Grow. I was interested because I wanted to improve my English, meet new people and build my confidence. When I joined Grow, I found out about the coffee mornings, workshops and the Grow community. It made me feel that there were opportunities for me and that I could start building my network.”

During one conversation, Vishnupriya explained to Iryna that although she had an MBA in Finance, she had been away from her career for 13 years while raising her family. Iryna encouraged her to consider volunteering as a way of gaining UK experience.

“In my country, volunteering isn’t something we really do, so I wasn’t aware of it before. Iryna explained how valuable it could be and encouraged me to look for opportunities.”

After hearing about the Kingston Volunteer Fair through Grow, Vishnupriya decided to attend. That decision proved to be a turning point.

“I had already applied for volunteering opportunities but hadn’t received any replies. At the Volunteer Fair I spoke to the charity directly and explained that I had applied twice without hearing back. They asked me to come in the very next day.

“I originally applied for a fundraising role, but when they saw my qualifications, they offered me a finance volunteering position instead.”

Vishnupriya is now volunteering twice a week with the Save the World Club charity in Kingston, where she is carrying out financial reconciliations and checking accounts.

My role is to reconcile the accounts, compare the sales records with the finance system and identify any discrepancies. Recently I spotted two missing transactions that hadn’t been recorded correctly. I reported the missing transactions to my manager, and the charity was able to recover the missing money. Everyone appreciated that I had spotted the issue, and it gave me so much confidence.”

Alongside gaining valuable finance experience, the volunteering role is also helping Vishnupriya improve her spoken English.

“The people I work with are very kind. They know I’m still improving my English, so they explain everything slowly until I understand. It’s helping me build my confidence every time I go.”

Although Vishnupriya hopes to return to paid employment in the future, she knows there are still steps to take first.

“I want to improve my English and continue building my skills. This is a new country for me, so I want to learn as much as I can before I move into work. Volunteering is giving me experience, confidence and helping me prepare for that next step.”

Vishnupriya continues to attend Grow workshops, coffee mornings and uses the Grow App to keep up to date with new opportunities.

“I use the Grow App every week. I check for the coffee mornings, workshops, new courses and job opportunities. I also enjoy reading about other women’s experiences because I’m learning from them too.”

With Grow’s support, Vishnupriya has already taken an important step back towards the career she loves. Through volunteering, she is gaining UK experience, developing her confidence and preparing herself for future employment in finance.

Sonal Secures Her First UK Job with Support from Grow

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Sonal lives in Hayes and joined Grow after moving to the UK from India. With a strong academic background, including a Master’s degree and PhD, and previous experience working as an Assistant Professor in a college in India, Sonal was keen to rebuild her career in education after taking time out of work to care for her child. However, arriving in a new country and trying to understand the UK job market proved challenging.

Sonal said:

“When I came to Grow, I was not aware of the UK job market and I was struggling to find the correct way to apply for jobs. I didn’t know the right platforms to use or what the requirements were to find a job in the UK because I was new here.”

“I also had a long career break, really a seven-year gap, so Grow helped me to gain motivation again and supported me to gain the confidence to restart my career journey.”

Sonal first heard about Grow through a friend who was already connected with the programme. Since joining Grow, Sonal has attended online sessions covering CV writing, interview preparation, motivation and understanding the UK workplace.

“I attended lots of seminars, online courses and sessions about how to make a CV, how to present yourself in interviews, what kind of jobs are available in the market and how you can start your journey again.”
Grow also encouraged Sonal to complete a Level 2 course in Understanding Support Work in Schools and Colleges through Learn Hillingdon while she was searching for work.

“Although I already had qualifications from my country, I was totally new to the UK education system and didn’t know how things worked here. From the course I also learned about British values, safeguarding and many more things.”

Sonal also attended Grow interview preparation sessions, which she says helped her feel more prepared and professional during interviews.

“I learned how to introduce myself by doing mock interviews with Grow, how to present myself and what I should and shouldn’t say during interviews.”

With support from Grow, Sonal began applying for jobs through platforms including LinkedIn and Indeed and gradually became more confident applying for education-based roles.

“Before joining Grow, I had applied for many jobs through Indeed but I didn’t get anything. After joining Grow, especially after doing the course from Learn Hillingdon, I became more confident applying for roles in schools and colleges because I always wanted to work in the education sector and I felt better prepared.”
After a year out of work in the UK, Sonal has now secured a role as an Associate Lecturer at the London Academy for Applied Technology.

“It has been almost a year looking for work, so this is a big achievement for me. This will be my first job in the UK. I am happy I joined Grow as they really helped me to regain my confidence again and help give me the advice and guidance I needed.”

Sheila Rebuilds Her Career

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Sheila lives in Hayes and joined Grow through the SWEET programme after recently moving to the UK from Kenya with her daughter to join her husband. With a background in IT consultancy, business and clinical coding, Sheila had spent several years out of work while caring for her daughter and was trying to understand how to rebuild her career in a completely new country.

Sheila said:

“Back in my country, I was an IT consultant and I also majored in business and worked in medical volunteering and clinical coding. After having my daughter, I became the primary caregiver, so I could only work from home, which meant I was very limited in the type of work I could do.”

Although Sheila had qualifications and professional experience, she found trying to return to work in the UK difficult and overwhelming.

“I have only been in the UK for five months and have been looking to return to my career as my daughter starts Reception in September. I found it challenging being new to the country and having no family or support here. I didn’t know how to go about things and adapting to another country with different systems and another culture was difficult for me.”

“Getting my career back is important to me because I wanted to rebuild myself as a woman, not just as a mother.”

Sheila joined Grow two months ago after being introduced to the programme by another participant and has since attended online sessions, employment rights workshops and motivational sessions led by the Grow team.

“Grow gave me a blueprint for how to go about rebuilding my career. I got to understand how the UK employment system works and what my options are. It was really an eye opener for me. It gave me a roadmap that I’m now following.”

One of the biggest changes for Sheila has been understanding how employment works in the UK and how to present herself professionally.

“Grow’s sessions and team members helped me to improve my CV and make it more suitable for UK standards. I now understand the application processes and feel more confident about interviews.”

“I also learned how to use the STAR method. In my country we don’t use it, so that’s something I was still learning here. I used the STAR method in my interview and this month I secured a part-time job working as a medical receptionist.”

Sheila also said the sessions helped her understand her rights at work and gave her more confidence speaking in interviews.

“Now I know my rights at work. I understand what is fair and what is not considered fair in UK workplaces.”

“The motivational sessions were also very useful. They spoke to us about interview confidence, answering questions and language barriers. It was very informative.”

Looking ahead, Sheila hopes to continue building her career within healthcare and administration.

“I’m looking for administrative posts and I also want to volunteer so I can gain one-on-one experience before moving fully back into work.”

“I really want to stay in the medical profession.”

Reflecting on her experience, Sheila believes support like Grow is especially important for women returning to work after motherhood.

“So many women lose themselves in motherhood and when you want to come back, you have no guide.”

Sheila said:

“Mothers nurture future generations, but when a mother is nurtured, the world itself is healed and aligned to accommodate that future generation.”

 

Nisha’s Journey Back into Work

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Nisha joined Grow after spending nearly three years out of work while raising her family. Through Grow’s Job Brokerage support, she received help with her CV, interview preparation and job search, and has now secured a term-time role that fits around her children, as a kitchen assistant in a primary school.

Finding a way back to work

Before joining Grow, Nisha was actively applying for jobs but not getting results. Nisha said:

“My situation was very bad, I was desperately looking for work, I needed some financial stability… I was volunteering in a primary school… but I wasn’t hearing anything back.”

Her situation was shaped by her responsibilities at home.

“Timing, as a mother of two, was very difficult. Getting a job that fits within school hours is really tough… I didn’t have the option of someone picking up or dropping off my kids.  I am a mother of twin boys, both with special needs… I am the main carer for my boys, so although I was applying for different jobs, I found it very hard.”

Being out of work for a long period also made things harder.

“You don’t know where to start or how to approach things. There was a lack of support, low confidence, and limited employability skills.”

Getting support through Grow

Nisha came across Grow through a session at her children’s school.

“They came to my children’s school… she told me that they have a project helping mothers find a job, and I thought what can be better than this. I showed interest and my journey started with them.”

Through the Job Brokerage support, she began working on her applications and preparing for interviews.

“Grow helped me create my CV, and I think that was the reason I was being shortlisted for interviews.”

“I also had a mock interview… I learned how to answer questions and how to prepare… I received detailed feedback and every time I had an interview, I would read through the feedback.”

She also had ongoing one-to-one support.

“The one-to-one support was just amazing. I knew that if I got stuck, I had somewhere to go and someone to ask.”

Building confidence and skills

One of the key changes for Nisha was feeling more prepared and able to present herself.

“At that time, if someone asked me, ‘What do you do?’ I would say, ‘I’m a mother of two.’ That was my identity. Now, I feel more confident in how I present myself. I’ve learned how to talk about my skills and experience clearly and confidently.”

She also felt more supported in managing applications and interviews.

“My advisor was always there for me… I could talk about my applications… that was the most valuable support I received.”

Moving into work

Nisha has now secured a role as a kitchen assistant in a primary school.

“My role mainly involves preparing food, serving meals to the children, and supporting during lunchtime… and helping with general day-to-day duties.”

The role works around her family, which was a key priority.

“This job has given me exactly what I was seeking, balancing my family responsibilities while working.”

What has changed

Having a job has brought both stability and independence.

“I feel great. I’m working and managing my own life. I don’t have to ask anyone for help, and I’m now financially independent.”

She also describes the wider impact on her confidence and wellbeing.

“Working outside has given me more confidence in talking to people and learning new skills.”

Looking ahead

Nisha now feels more positive about her future and the opportunities ahead.

“I feel more positive about the future… as my circumstances change, I can see more opportunities opening up for me.”

Ruth Finds Confidence Again with Grow

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Ruth joined Grow in Kingston after taking a career break to raise her family and trying to return to work on her own. With a background in engineering and a newly completed AAT Level 2 qualification, she was looking to move into finance but wasn’t seeing success in her job search.

“I took a career break to raise my kids. About last year, I thought, you know what, let me start trying to get back into work. I began applying, but because I wanted a career change from engineering into finance, I wasn’t being successful.”

“I have a friend who told me about Grow and said I could give it a go. I just took a chance and went into the Guildhall. I spoke to Grow’s Employment Adviser Iryna, and that’s how I came in. I’ve been a part of them since then.”

Through Grow’s Job Brokerage support, Ruth received practical help with her CV, applications and interview preparation.

“Grow looked at my CV with me and helped to polish it up. They also did mock interviews and gave me sites to go to apply for jobs. They’ve been advising me on where to apply, helping with my CV, giving feedback and talking about what is needed in an interview. That has been really helpful.”

“I meet regularly with my mentor. If I have an interview and it’s gone wrong, we discuss what has gone wrong. Every response I get from applications, we talk about it. Grow also run sessions about how to make your CV stronger and how to be more confident.”

For Ruth, one of the most important things about Grow was being supported by women who understood her situation.

“They are women like me and they have children as well, so they’ve been through what I’ve been through. You feel like you’re on the same page with them. They understand childcare and work-life balance. That’s what I’ve loved about Grow.”

Although Ruth is still looking for work, she feels much more confident and clearer about her next steps.

“I feel more confident in my search. I know where to look and what to look out for, and that has been because of Grow.”

She also feels better prepared to talk about her career break and change in direction.

“They have told me how to address the career gap and how to talk about what I’ve done during that time. They’ve helped me see that it’s OK and that many people go through this.  It has been very positive being part of Grow, they make you feel as though we have these challenges but we can still get over them and find ways around them”.

Rammiya’s Journey in to work with Grow Job Brokerage

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Rammiya joined Grow after months of trying to find work on her own without success. With a background in mobile device management and IT systems, she had been actively applying for roles but was struggling to get past the application stage. Through Grow’s Job Brokerage programme, she received support with her CV, interview preparation and understanding the job market. With this support, Rammiya has now secured a full-time role and is feeling more confident about her future.

Rammiya said:

“One of the biggest challenges I was facing was not getting shortlisted for interviews. I took a break in July and August because of my children’s holidays, and from September, I started updating my CV and applying for jobs on platforms like Total Jobs, Indeed, and LinkedIn. However, I wasn’t reaching the interview stage at all.

Whenever I applied for a job, I would either get rejected within 2 to 3 days or not receive any response. This was very discouraging. That’s when I felt like I needed some guidance. I didn’t know where to go or whether my CV was right, or if I was doing things
correctly.

I was using AI as well, but still, I wasn’t getting through to the interview stage. I would apply for jobs and get rejected or hear nothing back. This was a very challenging situation before I secured my current role.”

Getting the Right Support

Rammiya heard about Grow from one of her friends who referred her.  She was quickly introduced to the Job Brokerage programme, where she began receiving targeted support to help her move forward. Through Job Brokerage, Rammiya accessed a range of support designed to improve her job readiness and confidence.

“I’m really grateful to the entire team—Saaema, Khatera, Kaneez, Sheeja, and Liz. They regularly held sessions such as motivation sessions, CV preparation and improvement, and interview preparation.”

Building the Right Skills

A key part of the support was helping Rammiya understand how to present herself effectively in the job market.

“The CV sessions, mock interviews, and CV review were the most helpful. My CV was somewhat aligned with the market, but only about 70%. After Khatera advised me to tweak my CV and made corrections, it became properly aligned with market standards. That made a big difference.”

She also began to build her professional network and gain a better understanding of the current job market.

“I would say I started connecting with people on LinkedIn because of Kaneez. During one of her sessions, she advised us to start building connections.”

Preparing for Interviews

As part of the Job Brokerage support, Rammiya completed a mock interview shortly before attending a real interview. This preparation helped her feel more confident and ready.

“I had a mock interview with Liz, which was an incredibly valuable learning experience. Her detailed feedback helped me understand what I needed to improve. I feel very well prepared now. If I have an interview, I feel like I just need a couple of days to prepare, and I’m ready. That’s the level of confidence I have now.”

Securing a New Role

With the support of Grow and Job Brokerage, Rammiya secured a full-time position and recognises the role that preparation and support played in helping her succeed.

“I currently work as an MBM Specialist at a company called Inventors. My interview preparation played a big part, especially for the technical aspects. I prepared a lot for the interview. The mock interview session I had with Liz the day before my real interview was also extremely helpful.”

The Impact

Securing this role has made a meaningful difference in Rammiya’s life.

“Securing this job means a great deal to me because it allows me to support my family financially and also plan for my future. I am very happy and confident, and through these jobs, I may also be able to help my friends in the future if any opportunities arise. So personally, this role has had a very positive impact on multiple aspects of my life.”

Rammiya is now focused on continuing to grow and develop in her career.

“I’m motivated to continue learning because this role builds on what I was doing before, but now I’m at a Level 3 role. Before joining Grow, I was only doing freelance work and wasn’t thinking outside the box. After joining, I started understanding the market and the current work environment more clearly.

“All the credit goes to Grow. With the encouragement and support I received throughout the programme, I was able to secure my current role.”

Ireti Turns Setbacks into Success

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After losing her job in June 2025, Ireti spent months applying for roles without success. Despite having extensive experience in food safety, quality assurance and compliance, she found it difficult to secure employment.

“I applied for so many jobs but I was not being successful.I was very disappointed and hopeless.” said Ireti.

Ireti faced a number of barriers during her job search, including challenges around travel and how her experience was perceived by employers.

“First, my age was my biggest challenge, and where I live was another, travelling wasn’t easy for me as I don’t drive, so relying on public transport while searching for work was extremely difficult.”

She also found it difficult to communicate her experience in a way that resonated with employers.

“Sometimes, I wasn’t able to present myself in the way they expected, and I struggled to convince them that I would be good at the job until I came across Belina Grow.”

Finding Grow

Ireti first came across the Grow Team at a job fair at Uxbridge College. “They told me about the Job Brokerage project, and I thought it wasn’t for me. I told them, ‘I need a job, I’m so hopeless. Look at my age, nobody wants to employ me. But the way the team spoke to me made me think, ‘OK, if someone who doesn’t know me can see potential in me, maybe I should give myself another chance.’”

Building Skills and Confidence

Through Grow, Ireti accessed a range of support including CV workshops, interview masterclasses, mock interviews and application support.

“I received detailed feedback on my CV and used it to improve my application materials. I also had the opportunity to do a mock interview, which helped me a great deal. I kept all the feedback I received and have been using it to prepare for real interviews.

“I attended a session on how to fill out application forms, I didn’t know how to do it properly before. After the session, I realised how much I’d been doing wrong.”

She also developed key techniques such as using the STAR method and tailoring applications to job descriptions.

“The mock interview was especially valuable because it gave me real practice and feedback.”

A Shift in Mindset

Alongside practical skills, Ireti describes a significant shift in her confidence and mindset.

“My confidence has grown significantly… Now, when I go into an interview, I feel calm, prepared, and ready, not fearful or overwhelmed.”

Being part of a supportive environment also played an important role.

“Knowing I had guidance and being part of the group chat with others on the same journey made me feel less alone and more supported.”

Securing a New Role

Following this support, Ireti secured a full-time position.

“It is a full-time position as a QA/QC Technician with Borough Broth Company, a food processing company in Greenford.”

She credits the support she received as a key factor in her success.

“Without that support, I wouldn’t have known how to present my transferable skills effectively, and I likely wouldn’t have succeeded.”

Ireti is now focused on building stability and progressing in her new role. “I feel very positive about my future career prospects.”

Beyond employment, the impact has been wider.

“Now I wake up in the morning with somewhere to go, something meaningful to do, and the chance to contribute meaningfully to society.”

Shital Learns New AI Skills For Everyday Life and Work Opportunities

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Shital joined the Grow Digital programme in Leicester (funded by the AKG Community Interest Fund) after being encouraged by the Peepul Centre to take part. Already working in retail, she wanted to build on her existing knowledge and stay up to date with new digital tools, particularly AI, to support her future career goals.

Shital said “I did my bachelor’s degree in computer engineering in India, so I already had a good knowledge of computers nut here in the UK, I wanted to understand how things work and learn what is new. I go to the Peepul Centre and they encouraged me to join the course as they said it would help me learn more digital skills.”

Even though Shital already had a background in computing, she wanted to refresh her skills and keep up with changes.

“Every day there is something new coming. I wanted to stay updated and understand the new systems.”

Before joining the course, Shital had not used AI tools but through the Grow Digital sessions, she began to understand how AI can be used in everyday life.

“Nowadays, in everything, you need AI. It helps with writing, correcting sentences and many things.”

She also learned practical skills that she can use going forward such as writing and improving CVs, understanding job descriptions, improving writing skills and protecting personal data online. There are so many scams now, so learning how to protect your data was also very useful” said Shital.

The course was delivered in a way that made it accessible to everyone, regardless of their starting point.

“There were lots of women in the class. Some didn’t know how to use AI at all, and some were not very confident with mobile phones. Kaneez, the tutor, supported learners by explaining things in different languages when needed. She explained in different languages, like Hindi, so everyone could understand. That was very helpful.”

For Shital, the course was about refreshing her knowledge and building confidence with new tools.

“This course helped me learn something new and improve my skills. I now feel more confident using digital tools in everyday life. If I don’t know something, I can use AI to help me.”

Shital is currently working in retail but is thinking about her future. “This is my job for now, but I am interested in working in something computer-based in the future. What I have learned on this course will really help me. It has given me useful skills for both work and everyday life.”

For Shital, Grow Digital has been an opportunity to refresh her existing skills, learn about AI, and prepare for future career opportunities. By building her confidence and keeping her knowledge up to date, she is taking steps towards moving into a more technology-focused role.

Sumbal Finds Herself Again Through Grow

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Sumbal joined the Grow Programme after trying on her own to find work that would fit around her three young children. As a single parent, she was looking for something that would work for her family life, while also helping her rebuild her confidence and sense of identity.

Through Grow, she was introduced to an Early Years Skills Bootcamp, which she is now completing.

Sumbal said:

“I’ve got four kids who are 8, 7, 3 and 2 and I’m a single parent. After my youngest was born, I started thinking, I need to be me again. Since my first child was born in 2017, everything has been about the kids. People don’t even call you by your name, they just know me as my kids’ mum. I thought I need to snap out of it and do something for myself.

I tried on my own for about eight months. I was applying online, doing interviews, even doing some remote commission work. I thought working from home might suit me because of the kids, but it didn’t work. I was still at home, still surrounded by everything, not socialising. I realised that’s not for me.

I remembered Grow from a presentation that Grow’s Khatera did at my child’s school and I thought I would contact them. I spoke to Sheeja and straight away she said there’s a course starting – an 8-week bootcamp with JCL – and asked if I was interested. I said yes straight away, because I knew I wanted to work with children.

Before I started the course, I joined a few Grow online sessions. They really helped me. They talked about different types of work and how to choose something that suits you. That helped me decide properly that working with children is what I want to do.

Now I’m doing the 8-week Early Years course. The first two weeks were face to face, then online, and now we’re back face to face again. We’ve done things like safeguarding, legislation, and first aid training. They also help with work placements and interviews at the end.

It means if I go to a nursery or school, I already have what they are looking for.

Grow ask you during the course what you want to do next. You can go into work or continue studying, like Level 2 or Level 3. They don’t just leave you after the course, they stay with you until you’re ready. For me, I want to go into employment in a school or nursery setting.

Grow made everything easier for me. I was struggling on my own for eight months, but with Grow, from the moment I walked in, they’ve been helping me.

They check in on me, they support me, they guide me. Sheeja even said she can provide a reference for me.

I honestly regret not coming to Grow earlier. I should have come first instead of trying on my own. I’ve already recommended Grow to other mums. When they see me, they ask what I’m doing and I tell them they should join. Some of them have already started doing things through Grow as well.

My focus now is to get a job. If I can get a role in a school or nursery, I’m ready to go.