“He helped me build my confidence and supported me when I doubted myself” – Marie’s Story

Marie was struggling with her confidence and wellbeing after encountering several personal losses and challenges in her life in recent years. Her confidence was low, and she had limited family members to lean on for support.

She met with Groundwork Employment Coach Debasish in March 2024, who through the Individual Placement Support model, got to know Marie and helped her to create a plan based on what she wanted to achieve.

Marie’s main goal was to source full-time work. She was in and out of work, on temporary contracts and wanted something more stable.

Debasish and Marie met weekly at the Rochdale Council office. Here they could talk about anything, providing Marie with a space where she felt heard and supported.

Once she was feeling a bit more confident in herself, Debasish provided some handholding around the application process, as Marie’s experience with IT was limited. Together they filled out the application and waited for a response.

It wasn’t long until Marie was invited to interview for a role as a Health Care Assistant at Fairfield Hospital, which she was successful at getting. She’s been in the role 9 months now and is doing well.

Debasish regularly checks-in with Marie, as she continues to manage changes both at work (she works on a mental health ward which can present challenges) as well as in her personal life. Marie hopes that this ongoing support will enable her to stay in work despite the challenges.

I am so grateful for the help and support given my Ray, he always listened to me when I had a bad day. Nothing was to much much trouble for him. He helped me build my confidence and supported me when I doubted myself, Thank you for everything you’ve done for me.

This support was made possible thanks to funding from the GMCA