Local woman Sarrinah Shaheen has paid tribute to her Witton Lodge ‘mentor’ after completing a Level 2 training course in Customer Service.
Sarrinah, who is dyslexic and suffers with anxiety, was referred to us for employment support by Job Centre Plus in Perry Barr.
Lacking in confidence and with no clear idea of the type of work she wanted to do, Employment and Skills Tutor, Nargas, created a programme of tailored support for Sarrinah in the hope of unlocking her talents and creating a pathway to success.
“When I first met Sarrinah she lacked confidence and was very shy and withdrawn,” said Nargas.
“But we spoke about the customer service course and how it could help her develop the skills needed to improve her chances of finding work.”
For Sarrinah, the prospect of an intensive six-week training course was quite daunting but she felt reassured from the start.
“My Tutor was very patient with me, I wasn’t rushed at all which was very important for me,” she said.
“Nargas was very supportive and understanding, giving me additional time to complete the course for those times when I couldn’t attend. I started feeling more confident and believing in myself.”
On completion of her course, Sarrinah was referred to our Volunteer Co-ordinator to discuss options for volunteering and is now actively pursuing roles which will develop her skills and boost her experience.
“At the start of the course I admit I wasn’t very motivated but Nargas encouraged me, she mentored and coached me throughout and I feel like a different person now. I feel much more confident around other people. I have come out of my shell and I’m starting a college course this month.
“I intend to go back to Witton Lodge in the future for more training.”
