From Self-Doubt to a role as a Care Navigator​

Originally a qualified primary school teacher in her home country, Irene spent 24 years working demanding day and night shifts in Health and Social Care in the UK. By September 2024, she found herself out of work, feeling her confidence slipping away. She worried that her age and limited digital skills would hold her back, yet remained motivated to find a meaningful one-to-one support role where she could truly make a difference.

Referred by Jobcentre Plus to Fedcap Oxford’s Restart Scheme, Irene began working with her Employment Adviser, Younis. At her first appointment, she opened up about her self-doubt and the weight of personal challenges she had been carrying. Younis began by helping Irene unravel her limiting beliefs, shifting her mindset from fear to possibility. Together, they dissected the barriers she felt were standing in her way and began reshaping them into stepping stones.

Through tailored support, Irene attended targeted workshops to strengthen her digital skills and boost her interview confidence. Younis, alongside a training facilitator, worked closely with her to refine her CV and craft personalised cover letters that would help her stand out. Rather than being discouraged by rejection, Irene learned to see it as redirection — an opportunity to persist and grow.

Her perseverance paid off when she secured a Care Navigator role, perfectly aligned with her passion for providing meaningful, one-to-one support. This role not only restored her financial stability but also gave her a renewed sense of purpose and belonging. The structure of her new job has even improved her wellbeing, allowing her to establish healthier routines and take better care of herself.

Reflecting on her journey, she shared:
“When I’m driving on the M40 to work, I think of the impact my employment adviser at Fedcap had on me and I can’t believe — after the journey in itself, which I enjoyed very much — now I’m driving to work, which is just so beautiful and surreal… Look Younis, no words can describe how you changed my life, I could write pages.”