Dale

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 with the impact of the pandemic, these events had a massive impact on my health and wellbeing and I felt I needed to make some changes in my life. I knew a new career path was needed and that I would benefit from some additional help and support.

I was referred by some amazing people whom I had met along my journey, for which I am most grateful for their support. I had my first appointment with BBO last September. I met two lovely ladies: Jade and Stevie.  A sympathetic ear was just the tonic I needed and the start of my BBO path commenced.

The impact of that none-judgemental sympathetic ear was exactly what I needed to begin my journey. The team provided me with careful guidance that boosted my confidence, which helped me retake control of my self-esteem. My job broker changed my way of thinking about career options and helped me create a new CV and cover letter templates to help with applications.  I went from talking myself out of jobs for one thing I couldn’t do, to focusing on the twenty things I could do.

This led me to where I am today – an Ambassador for BBO. This is why the programme is so important to me – and why I want to get as many people as possible on board – because it’s made such a difference in my life. My journey on the programme gave me a sense of purpose, improved my confidence immensely and rebuilt my self-respect. You get a none-judgemental, sympathetic ear to talk through your troubles and are made to feel like you are valued in life. I have been overwhelmed by the help and support of the BBO staff – they are a great team.