Xena is a single mum of six children who had never worked before and had no schooling until she arrived in the UK. She was referred to Ola, our Head of Employment by a friend who had previously been helped by the Volunteer Centre.
Xena was interested in working at a school, either doing catering work or looking after children during school lunch; in order to help her achieve her goals. Ola organised a one-to-one session with her, where they developed an action plan and created a CV.
As part of the action plan, Ola had arranged a volunteering role at a local kitchen for three days a week, as well as securing a volunteer placement at a nursery and after school, club to aid with gaining further experience.
Since writing was still a challenge for Xena, Ola arranged for her to do a Level 2 e-catering course on food safety and hygiene, which she passed, boosting her confidence!
These experiences helped Xena to build her CV and gain valuable skills, which are necessary to find employment. Once Xena was ready to find paid work, Ola assisted her with job searches applications.
Xena is now working in a school as a catering assistant, where her working hours allow her to be with her children after school, and she is now no longer reliant on income support. We love stories like Xena’s and feel privileged to be in a position where we can help.
If you’re unemployed and need work experience to help you secure paid work, check out our New Opportunities page!
