Yevheniia Gets a Job and Training

Posted on by heathercette

Yevheniia moved to the UK from Ukraine in 2022 and is now working hard to gain experience and build a career in education. Through Grow she was encouraged to undertake a Level 1 Teaching Assistant Course with Runway Training and she has recently started working in a local pub as bar staff.

Yevheniia said “I moved to the UK in March 2022 from Ukraine. I worked at a university in my country and now I want to work in a school in the UK. I know I need to get experience and improve my English, so I am taking steps to do this.

Since joining Grow in the spring, I have taken part in many things. I really love the Grow App – it helps me so much. I even won a prize in the spring photo competition after sending a photo from Kew Gardens. That made me happy and gave me confidence.

I wanted to find a job and join some courses. At first, I wanted to do a childcare course, then one of the Grow advisers called me and told me about a Teaching Assistant course with Runway Training. I said yes straight away. I am now doing the Level 1 Teaching Assistant course – it is online and this is my second day. It is very useful and it is helping me feel more confident.

Because of this confidence, I went to a local pub and asked if they had a job. They said yes! Now I am working as bar staff. I started the job on the 8th of May. Before this, I worked as a cleaner and kitchen porter. This is my first job as bar staff, and I am learning new things.

The Grow team has helped me so much. Iryna is my adviser and she is very kind. She is Ukrainian and she helped me fill out forms and always gave me advice. All the Grow advisers are helpful. The Grow App is brilliant – I used it to prepare for my interview and I found many useful things there.

I want to keep learning and maybe do Level 2 Teaching Assistant course next. I also want to keep coming to Grow sessions like the coffee mornings as it makes me feel part of something and gives me support.

 

Valency Gets a Job as an SMSA

Posted on by heathercette

At GRoW, we support women who want to return to work but may feel unsure about how to start again. Whether they’ve been raising children, juggling family life, or just haven’t had the confidence to take that first step, our team is here to help with friendly, practical support.

Valency recently started her new role as a School Meals Supervisory Assistant in Hounslow. She’d been out of work since 2022 after the birth of her second child. With help from the Grow Programme, she built her confidence, refreshed her skills, and secured a job that works for her family.

Valency said “After my second baby, I stayed at home and wasn’t working since 2022 when I had an admin job. I wanted to get back to work, but I had lost a lot of confidence. It’s not easy when you’ve been home with the kids – you start thinking maybe you can’t do it anymore. But I knew I had to try.

I found out about the Grow Programme and joined the Preparing to Work in Schools course – it was a Level 2 course and I really enjoyed it. I learned so much, especially about safeguarding children and protecting privacy. That part really stuck with me and gave me relevant knowledge.

Khatera was my advisor and she helped me with everything – my CV, interview tips, all the documents I needed. I had a mock interview with Karen too, which made such a big difference. Most of the questions I got in the real interview were just like the ones we practised, so I was ready.

I found the job on the Hounslow Council website – I just kept looking and applying like Khatera told me. She kept encouraging me, saying don’t give up, just keep trying. And she was right – I got the job!

I’m working now as a School Meals Supervisory Assistant. I started a few weeks ago and it’s going really well. It’s term time, Monday to Friday, and the hours fit perfectly with my family. My husband works evenings so I work in the mornings and he can look after our little one. It works for us.

The Grow community really helped me build myself up again. I joined the online workshops – the coffee mornings, the interview workshops – they were so helpful. I didn’t get to join everything, but I got a lot from the ones I did. I used the Grow app too, which gives you lots of updates and useful info.

“I’d say to other women – go for it. Confidence is so important and Grow was there to help and support me, and helped me feel ready. I am feeling very happy now.”

Ada Finds Confidence and Work with Grow

Posted on by heathercette

Ada moved to the UK from Nigeria three years ago and spent a long time trying to find work. It was not easy starting again in a new country, but with the support of the Grow programme, she has now found a flexible cleaning job that fits around her family life, is feeling more confident and is looking ahead to her future prospects.

Ada said “I first heard about Grow through my son’s school. They sent me an email about the programme and because I was already looking for a job, I thought I would give it a try. I didn’t really know how things worked in the UK job market, so I needed help.

Before I moved to the UK, I worked in Nigeria doing admin work and also cleaning jobs. But here, I hadn’t worked for nearly three years. I felt like I had lost confidence.

Joining Grow gave me a new start. I joined some sessions in person at my child’s school, like the Bootcamp, and I’ve also been to lots of online sessions like the Coffee Mornings, the CV workshop, and the Interview workshop. These were all really helpful.

Grow helped me make a proper CV and taught me how to apply for jobs. I found my job on Indeed, and I used my new CV from Grow to apply. I got the job! It’s a cleaning job and it gives me time to take care of my child too. I can choose my own hours, which is perfect.

Even though I’m working now, I still come to Grow sessions because I want to keep learning and maybe do more training in the future. I’m still hoping to get a better job one day, and Grow is helping me step by step.

The best thing about Grow is that it has helped me feel more confident and I was part of a community with other mums like me. I’m really happy I joined.

 

Fajer Finds the Right Role with Grow

Posted on by heathercette

Fajer joined the Grow programme in November 2024 after meeting the team at her child’s school. At the time, she was experiencing a difficult period in her life, having recently lost her brother, for whom she had been a full-time carer. She was also looking to return to work after a career break to care for her young child. Five months later, with consistent support from Grow and her own persistence, she secured a job with the London Ambulance Service as a Healthcare Adviser.

Fajer said “When I saw Laura and Liz from the Grow team at my son’s school, I went to speak to them to find out more. I was really down at the time and just wanted to do anything to get out of that place in my head. They explained the programme, registered me on the app, and showed me how to access weekly job links. I started applying through the app and other portals and even got offered some roles.

“Initially, I was looking for remote roles which is what I’d done during COVID. But most jobs I saw were asking for recent experience, which was hard because I had a gap in my CV. I did get offered some jobs however but they were not quite right for me and Laura’s guidance had encouraged me to really think about my choices, so I persevered.

“Karen supported me with my CV. She told me I had the right skills, but the format needed work. She completely restructured it and tailored it for healthcare roles. I had two CV sessions with her, and that made a real difference.

“When I got through the first stage of interviews with the London Ambulance Service, Laura connected me with Kaneez who referred me to Smart Works for interview coaching and clothing. The session there helped me prepare for my final interview stage. The coach I spoke to had experience in healthcare and gave me insight into the types of questions I might be asked. That preparation helped me feel more confident.

“The job I’ve now secured is part-time—two days a week—which works well for me now that I have some family support at home. It’s not remote, but it is relevant to my past experience working in GP surgeries and NHS call centres.”

“Looking back, when I first joined Grow I wasn’t clear on exactly what I wanted, I just knew I needed to do something. Laura helped me take a step back and focus on making the right decision instead of rushing. That advice helped shape my approach.”

“Grow gave me structure and direction at a time when I needed it. From CV support and job links to interview preparation and referrals, the team were always there with practical help.”

 

Regina Completes Helping Children with Maths Course

Posted on by heathercette

We recently made available to our GRoW community the ‘Helping Children with Maths’ course held by Capital City College and one of our grow members was pleased to take part in and complete. Regina has been part of GRoW for some time, joining various workshops to build her confidence and skills — including CV writing and interview preparation. Regina joined the maths course to support both her own development and goals to become a teaching assistant and also for her children’s learning.

Regina said “I first joined GRoW a while ago, before the lockdown, but I’ve had to come and go because of my health and travelling. Now I’m back and still looking for work — I’m really hoping to find something that works for me and my children, maybe between 8 and 4 during the day.

I’ve done a Level 2 Teaching Assistant course and Level 2 Childcare already. What I want now is to do my Level 3 Teaching Assistant course so I can take that next step and hopefully get a job in a school.

I’ve been coming to a lot of GRoW sessions — how to write a CV, cover letters, things like that. They’ve all been helpful. Most recently, I joined the How to Help Your Children with Maths course with Capital Training. Even though I already had my Functional Skills Level 2 in Maths, it’s been a few years and I felt like I had lost a bit of confidence. I wanted to refresh my knowledge before starting any new work or training — and also to help my children better with their homework.

The course was really good. The tutor was very calm and patient, and explained everything clearly. If you didn’t understand something, he would break it down and go over it again. That helped me a lot — I’m dyslexic, so I need to go over things more than once to really get it. He also gave us handouts and recommended the website mathsgenie.co.uk, which I’ve been using at home to practise. It’s great.

The course reminded me how useful Times Tables are — I’ve started using them more and testing myself like I’m back at school! I’ve also been practising things like simplifying and ordering fractions, metric conversions, and checking my mental maths. It’s been really useful.

What I liked most is that it made me feel confident again. Maths can be scary, especially when you haven’t used it in a while, but the way the course was taught made it feel manageable. I’d recommend it to any parent who feels like they’ve lost confidence in maths — give it a try, it really helps.

The course also gave me more motivation to continue learning. Since I want to work with children, knowing how to explain maths in simple ways is going to be a big help. I’m grateful to GRoW for letting me know about the course and always being there to support me.

Elisa Starts Work at Wilko

Posted on by heathercette

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.”

Change in action

Posted on by heathercette

Working to help people has always taken a blended mix of empathy, expertise, and encouragement. Yet now more than ever it’s about reaching out and genuinely connecting with people sitting outside of the working world.

This is a huge priority for policy makers, keen to support not just people attending the Jobcentre and receiving state benefits, but those back at home, commonly believing there’s no ‘right’ job out there for them. Programmes, and their funding, are rising to the challenge; their make-up directly responding to the task of finding, coaxing, and empowering people to think differently about their own futures. It’s a challenge Ingeus is keen to overcome.

One such example is the People & Skills South London Partnership Programme, delivered by Ingeus in partnership with Belina Consulting and Beam across the five London Boroughs which form The South London Partnership: Croydon, Kingston upon Thames, Merton, Richmond upon Thames and Sutton. So far, the programme has supported over 700 unemployed people from across its five London boroughs, utilising a strong network of local partners to provide community outreach and offer local knowledge and expertise.

Belina specialises in supporting women with differing barriers preventing them from working. Over the course of the People & Skills South London Partnership Programme, Belina supported 80 women from Croydon and Kingston to get ready for or start work.

Read more about the project here

Asfia Progresses from Learning to Employment

Posted on by heathercette

Asfia first came to the GRoW Programme in October 2024, when she was looking for opportunities to develop new skills and find a job that suited her family’s needs. As a mother to teenage twins and a younger child, she wanted a career that allowed her to balance work and home life. Through GRoW, she discovered courses that would enable her to progress towards her goal of working with children and social care, and she quickly got involved in learning.

Asfia said “I first heard about GRoW in October 2024. At that time, I was looking for ways to build my skills and find a job that would work around my children. I have always been interested in working with children and possibly becoming a social worker in the future, so I wanted to start with some courses to set me on the right path.

Through GRoW, I completed two courses: Level 1 Preparing to Work in Schools and Level 2 Understanding Children and Young People’s Mental Health. These courses were so helpful in giving me the knowledge and confidence to take my first steps. Before this, I had not done any studying in 20 years though I had spent many years at home managing my family and running a restaurant business with my husband.

I found out about GRoW through a leaflet in the local library that explained the courses available. When I called to find out more, I spoke to Kaneez, who was really supportive and guided me through the process of getting started. I had never studied anything like this before, but I found the courses to be very engaging. The trainers were fantastic—Natasha and Liz made sure we understood everything clearly, and they explained things in a simple way that made it easy to follow.

After completing the courses, I started looking for job opportunities, and I was so happy to be offered a role in an After School Club. It started with just a few hours a week, but now they are offering me more hours because they are happy with my work. This has given me such a boost in confidence—I feel like I am finally doing something for myself while still being there for my children.

Looking ahead, I plan to continue my learning to help me progress further in a career in either social work or education. I am planning to take a Level 3 course in Children and Young People’s Mental Health to deepen my knowledge and open up more opportunities for the future. GRoW has made such a difference in my life. The team has been so supportive, and I feel like I am part of a community that wants to see me succeed.
I would recommend GRoW to anyone who is looking for support in getting back into work or learning new skills. It has given me the confidence I needed. After not doing any studies in 20 years it was so easy to step back into it again with the support of my course tutors which is something I really didn’t expect at all.

GRoW Support Tanuja on Her Journey to Employment

Posted on by heathercette

At GRoW, we are dedicated to helping people gain the skills, confidence, and support they need to find sustainable work. Tanuja’s story is a great example of how the GRoW Programme’s workshops, training, and one-to-one support can make a real difference.

Tanuja said “I recently started a job working in a café, making coffee and sandwiches. I enjoy this work because I have done it before, and it feels good to use my skills again.

I learned about GRoW when I was searching for jobs online. A friend suggested that I join the GRoW programme because I was always looking for work but not having much success. I joined the workshops and met Karen, who helped me a lot.

Karen showed me how to make a professional CV. Before this, I was applying for many jobs but getting no replies. I did not understand why. Karen helped me highlight my skills and write my CV properly. After that, I started getting interview offers, which made me feel much better.

I also attended interview workshops with GRoW. Karen practiced interview questions with me and gave me tips on how to answer. This helped me a lot when I went for my interview at the café. My manager asked me if I could make a coffee, and I felt confident enough to say yes and show my skills.

GRoW also helped me to improve my skills by enabling me to do a Level 1 Customer Service training course with Get Set UK. This course was very helpful and it will help me in my job and also for any job in the future I apply for. I am waiting to receive my certificate so I can add it to my CV.

Whilst I am enjoying my job I do need to increase my hours so I am keen to find additional or alternative work in a customer service type role ideally, maybe closer to home. I am much more confident now since going through the GRoW Programme and want to say a big thank you to GRoW, Karen, and everyone who helped me. I am very grateful for their support.

 

GRoW at the Jobs Fairs – Connecting with Opportunities

Posted on by heathercette

The recent Jobs Fairs in Uxbridge and Kingston were a fantastic opportunity for job seekers to meet employers, make new connections, and explore job options. GRow’s Liz and Iryna attended the Kingston Jobs Fair and Sheeja attended the Uxbridge College Jobs Fair at Hayes Campus alongside members of the GRoW community, who were there to connect with potential employers and find out what opportunities there are in the local and national jobs market.

Job fairs provide an excellent platform for networking, learning about different industries, and discovering job openings that may not be widely advertised. For many job seekers, the chance to speak directly with recruiters and hiring managers helps to break down barriers to employment and gives them a clearer understanding of what employers are looking for.

Sheeja shared her thoughts on the experience, highlighting the positive impact of attending in person. “It’s a great place to be, you can meet so many employers all at once and learn about support organisations, volunteering opportunities, and other roles that might not be immediately obvious.”

She also emphasised the variety of opportunities available. “Even if you see a construction company hiring, they may also have admin jobs. So it’s always good to talk to people and see if they have any other opportunities.”

For members of the GRoW community, events like this can boost confidence and motivation. Many participants are returning to work after a break or looking to change careers, and speaking with employers in a supportive environment can make a big difference. Sheeja said “We met some women who hadn’t been to a jobs fair before, and they found it really useful. They were handing over their CVs, filling in forms, and getting immediate feedback, which was really valuable.”

This year’s fair at Uxbridge College – Hayes Campus, saw a significant number of attendees, with more mothers in attendance compared to previous years. “Compared to last time, I think we had more people coming in, and we saw more mothers looking for work, which was great. There were police, the Navy, and colleges there too, so it wasn’t just local employers, but a mix of different organisations.”

Beyond the job opportunities, the fair also provided information on training programmes, career support services, and apprenticeships, providing a better understanding of the next steps people can take in their journey to employment.

If you hear about a job fair in your local area, we highly recommend attending. Sheeja said “If you hear about a job fair in your local area, you really should go because they are a great opportunity to network, connect with new people, and explore different career options.”