Read Mellie’s journey from lack of confidence and fear of talking to people, to developing a creative business and starting a career supporting others to achieve their dreams. Learn about how Grace Eyre supported Mellie to build a better future and how you can help do the same for other people with a learning disability and autistic people.
Grace Eyre’s employment programme was recommended to Mellie after she was made redundant, having worked in a staff restaurant for 27 years. After struggling to find work, she was lacking in confidence and didn’t know what to do next.
But through our employment programme, a Grace Eyre Job Coach helped identify Mellie’s skills and what she enjoyed doing. She was then supported in gaining valuable work experience and helped to start a jewellery business, selling and marketing her own homemade creations, and creating her own business cards. She also completed first aid training and was supported to make a new CV.
“Making my first sale was my biggest achievement, I was very pleased. I have been giving my business cards to other jewellery makers and have had more people follow me on Instagram and comment on my photos. My biggest challenge has been overcoming my fear of talking to people, [the Grace Eyre placement took] me out of my comfort zone.”
Following her involvement with the Grace Eyre employment programme and the boost in confidence this gave her, Mellie’s skills and experience grew even further when she started working part-time at Grace Eyre as a Project Assistant for our Travel Buddy project, which trains people to travel independently.
Mellie has since moved on to her current role as a Support Worker in drama and art sessions with Grace Eyre’s Active Lives team. She enjoys her new role as she loves to meet different people who are keen to try new things and helping them to achieve their own ambitions.
“Grace Eyre has had a huge impact on my life and career. The Grace Eyre Employment Project helped me to build my skills and confidence and start my own jewellery business. I now work for Active Lives at Montefiore Road and use those skills in my job running drama and art sessions.
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