Suzanne came to Yes for Success to find some direction in life and perhaps a new job. Now she's feeling positive about the future and has gained a “why not give it a go?” attitude to life.
Can you tell us a bit about how you heard about us and why you came to us for assistance?
I was thinking about 2024 as the new year kicked off, and what it would hold, and your seminars came up on my Instagram feed. I hadn’t been in paid work for a while due to devoting a lot of time to raising my family, and I was starting to think about what I needed to do next. I wasn’t really sure what I wanted, but I knew that I needed something and was ready for a change.
How did we help you?
At first, I signed up for the seminar on happiness. I liked that it wasn’t just about preparing a CV – it was broader than that. Diving straight into job hunting would have been too much, too soon for me. I just wanted to start feeling my way, to figure out what to do next, and get some direction. It gave me a chance to get out of the house, plus afforded me some time to think about what I wanted and where paid work fitted into my life.
Then I attended a seminar on how to take action, as that seemed like a natural follow on. I came out knowing that it was normal to feel that getting back to paid work was a big deal, but that it was feasible. I also met other people in similar positions and found out about the mentorship programme that could help with things such as CV writing.
My next step was to book a styling session. A friend had put me onto a college teaching job, and although I hadn’t previously considered going back to teaching, I knew that with the styling session coming up I would have appropriate clothing for a job interview, so I put in for the job.
I got my outfit, renewed my teaching certificate, and was ready for the interview. I felt that I looked the part and this gave me confidence when meeting the deputy principal. As well as feeling prepared, I knew that it would be all right if I got the job because I had a second styling session to count on.
The job was mine, so after I accepted it, I went back for my second session to get fitted out with clothing for my work week, plus some much-needed work shoes.
How did our volunteers make you feel?
All the Yes for Success people were so nice. The seminars and styling sessions made me feel braver and the stylists listened to what I wanted and were encouraging. They were keen to get me into outfits that made me both look good and feel comfortable. Overall, I knew that people believed in me and backed me.
Did our programme(s) meet your expectations?
The programme exceeded my expectations, and I came away both from the seminars and styling sessions feeling really positive.
What was the result?
I was offered the teaching job with hours that fit around my family’s needs and it’s great to be earning a reasonable wage again.
What did this mean to you? What changed for you as a result?
The help from Yes for Success help has given me the confidence to try new things and just give them a go. It’s started a new chapter in my life.
What next – have you set any other goals?
I would like my elder daughter to attend a seminar, as she has just finished university. Maybe she might even find a styling session useful.
How would you define success?
Success is finding a balance for me between work, family, good health, and friends. It’s getting back to being financially independent again, and having my younger daughter begin to find her own independence, too.
Are you thinking of taking part in our other programmes or volunteering?
Right now I’m just enjoying getting things back on track, but I have been telling friends about Yes for Success and some have given me clothes to donate – so in a small way I am contributing in return.
What advice would you give to other people looking to make a change?
Be brave and give it a go. It doesn’t matter if you don’t know what to expect from the seminars – just see what might happen and you get a nice lunch to boot. Even if you’re not certain what direction or steps need to take you can still go along and get some ideas and talk to others in the same boat.
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