Ellie
, participant
Ellie came to the programme feeling isolated, anxious and didn’t leave the house much. Ellie had been bullied in school and was facing a serious health issue which had left her withdrawn and unable to find employment after leaving school. With the help of the Towards Work Programme, Ellie was offered support to help find... View Article
Dave
, participant
Dave developed a serious substance abuse problem after growing up in the rave scene of the 1990s. After the birth of his son, Dave quit his drug habit, but unfortunately developed a serious dependence to alcohol. After confronting his issues, he went through a detox programme, Dave stumbled upon a leaflet for Groundwork and the... View Article
Jenn
, participant
Jenn had suffered from poor mental health for several years. This considerably impacted her life and she experienced homelessness, followed by a short prison sentence. These experiences caused Jenn to feel like a lost cause – feelings of no direction or purpose in life began to overwhelm her. Jenn’s previous experiences had left her with... View Article
Max
, participant
Ever since I finished college I had felt lost. I decided to not pursue university due to my shyness and social anxiety. The idea of leaving town to travel somewhere I had never been before, interact and live with complete strangers, all to pursue an uncertain goal felt like too much of a risk. I... View Article
Josh
, participant
Josh came to the Towards Work Programme in January 2020. He had worked in the hospitality sector for many years, but due to a degenerative eye condition he had to leave his last employer – after which he was registered as blind. Josh had always been in work up until this point, but with his... View Article
Dale
, participant
I am a committed father of three and a proud grandfather. Due to a series of personal family losses and tragedies, the past few years sadly sent me through a downward spiral. I was involved in a serious lorry accident, and then experienced the bereavement of both my parents, close friend and uncle. Partnered... View Article
Raphael
, participant
I am a father of two. Before joining Groundwork, I was working as a security guard – a job I once enjoyed. I became depressed and it wasn’t long before my depression took control and stopped me from working. When Covid hit, it felt like there where less opportunities to get help and support... View Article
Tara
, participant video
Tara had been referred to the programme via Ingeus. She is 20 years old and had been struggling with the switch from ESA to JSA. Tara had anxiety issues, learning difficulties and had dropped out of school due to bullying. She had be receiving support from Rumble Tums Cafe, who offer supported training for young... View Article
Michael
, participant video
Michael is 62 years old and had been out of paid work on job seekers allowance for 9 years, subsequently his confidence was lacking. He had a background in administration and in recent years he volunteered as a care assistant and completed some qualifications in health and social care. During Michael’s initial assessment process, it... View Article