Adviser helps Tiffany create a new life for career in care
In 2022, Tiffany was separated from her two younger siblings when she left her birthplace of Newcastle and moved into Horizons Residential Care’s Glendale House in Gorebridge just after her fifteenth birthday.
Tiffany’s key worker at Glendale, Nicola Mann got to work with a support plan for the youngster, sorting out her education and help to get her through exams.
Nicola got in touch with local Skills Development Scotland careers adviser Mark Harrison to see what he could put in place to help Tiffany build confidence and a new life for herself.
Nicola explained: “We always contact Mark when a young person fitting a certain age and stage like Tiffany comes to stay with us. He can help create a structure and social life for them as well as helping them to look at learning and career options.
“Mark’s helped at least three young people at Glendale. He never gives up on getting the young people into opportunities and keeps checking up with them to see if he can help them with anything like CVs and applications.”
Tiffany met with Mark and it was clear to him that she had aspirations to work in care herself. Before moving away from Newcastle, Tiffany had spent a lot of time looking after her little brother and sister.
Mark explained: “Tiffany told me she had two interests; social care and childcare. This was mainly down to her own experience and she wanted to help other people in situations like hers.”
Making connections
Mark suggested that Tiffany get some practical experience in care and got in touch with Volunteer Midlothian, which runs the Transform Project for young people from 14 years old who need some extra support to get involved in volunteering.
Mark helped Tiffany prepare for an informal interview to successfully start as a Transform Activity Buddy at Woodburn Primary school, providing arts, crafts, games and social activities for pupils after school hours. According to Carey Douglas, Youth Support Coordinator at Volunteer Midlothian, the teen was outstanding from the very beginning.
Carey explained: “I knew from the start that Tiffany was a down to earth, caring and genuine individual and a natural with young people. She had all the right qualities and would place herself at the right level to be able to communicate with the younger ones. She often ended up a referee and managed to head off any potential issues!
“Some people can be taught these skills but for others, like Tiffany, it is a natural gift.”
Tiffany said: “I loved being around the kids at the afterschool club, making sure they were happy and playing games. I had been looking after my brother and sister from a young age, so I was used to dealing with a lot of the things that would happen there.”
Mark also introduced Tiffany to the Y2K project to give her the opportunity to socialise with other young people. The project is a welcoming space that aims to tackle loneliness by offering fun activities, skill development and a focus on building confidence.
After a year as a Transform Activity Buddy, Tiffany moved to deliver Intergenerational Activities, another of the supported volunteering activities Volunteer Midlothian’s Transform project offers. Tiffany continues as a Transform volunteer, supporting, organising and delivering activities for elderly people in Sheltered Housing.
Tiffany explained: “After supporting young people, it’s been great to get experience of supporting elderly people, which has really helped me to understand the type of job I’d like to do in the future. I enjoy volunteering at the residential home because the residents are so kind and chatty and I organise things like board games and quizzes for them. They have also been asking how I am getting on and being supportive and encouraging.”
Help with next steps
Tiffany’s meetings with Mark continued at Gorebridge Library or the SDS office in Dalkeith, as he helped her explore her options in the run up to her leaving school, like employment, college courses and apprenticeships.
Mark helped Tiffany with career advice and helped her find a job at McDonald’s.
Tiffany said: “Mark helped me get into volunteering, create a CV and find jobs. He also helped me with mock interviews, which really helped. He’s been great with me and he has a funny personality, so we got on well. He listens and if I tell him about specific things I am interested in, he’ll look into that.”
After a short time, Tiffany realised she wasn’t ready for work and so Mark helped her with her college application.
Tiffany explained: “I was initially really excited about working at McDonald’s because I thought it would be fun, but I found it too fast paced and realised it was too early for me to go into work. I decided it would be best for me to look into college and focus on something I wanted to do.”
Having enrolled on to an introductory course at Edinburgh College last January, Tiffany, who is now 17, has progressed on to studying at the college towards her dream career in Social Services.
Tiffany said: “I didn’t really enjoy school, but I really like college because I got to choose what I wanted to do. I’m working towards an HNC qualification and my plan is to go to university to get a degree.
“I didn’t think about university when I moved to Scotland because I just wanted to settle in, so it’s great to have a future planned out for myself.”
Going to college has also helped Tiffany create new friendships. She said: “I had to stop going to Y2K because of college but being on the course has meant meeting lots more people and making friends.”
Mark said: “Everything I put in place has helped Tiffany to get out, get to know her new area and feel confident living in Midlothian, developing her network and gaining a sense of belonging.”
The support given to Tiffany by Mark is part of the free expert advice from SDS available to anyone looking for help to make learning and career decisions.
SDS delivers career information, advice and guidance services in schools, in SDS centres and in community venues across Scotland, through its freephone helpline 0800 917 8000, and online at My World of Work.
Despite her studies, Tiffany still volunteers two days a week at the care home and at a local Rainbows club.
After 100 hours volunteering Carey nominated Tiffany for the Scottish Government’s Saltire Awards for youth volunteering and she proudly picked up a gong. She’s now been put forward for the Midlothian Young People’s awards for the contribution she has made to her community.
Nicola said: “From the wee lassie we got in, compared to today, the difference in Tiffany is down to a joint effort from all those who have supported her. But Tiffany put the effort in to succeed and take opportunities. She is very dedicated to anything she takes on.
“Glendale is run like a family home and Tiffany has really settled here. We are so proud of her.”
Tiffany ended: “I like living in Glendale because it’s like a family and my relationship with Nicola is great.
“Meeting Mark was really important for me because, before I met him, I didn’t know anyone, have an education plan or go out much. Mark got me into volunteering and college and I have made friends, so he’s made my life better.
“I would say to others in a situation like mine that they should take all the help available and, with that support, you can do anything, if you have a dream.”
Visit My World of Work to find the range of career services and support available for everyone.