Jenny has just finished our 8 week Fresh Steps Course.
It helps people re-build the confidence that has been broken by domestic abuse and sets them up to start finding a job, perhaps learning again or take on a volunteering opportunity.
For Jenny the work she’s done on Fresh Steps has helped her with a crucial sense of direction:
“Not knowing what path you want to be on leaves you feeling lost. Now I know what I want to do and I’m starting to think it’s ok to be happy, it’s ok to smile again. The old me is coming back.”
And where is she pointing? She’d like to be a social worker. You can listen to her talk about this here.
//audioboom.com/posts/6125481-jenny-masterman-on-fresh-steps-at-chadd
But she also knows that her confidence is rubbing off on her family,
“My son has such a giggliest giggle and it’s a lovely sound to hear. It means he’s happy, he’s relaxed and he knows mum is happy”
We run the course as part of the Big Lottery‘s Black Country Building Better Opportunities Fund which combines lottery money with the European Social Fund. The aim is to ultimately help people back into work by tackling what the ESF understands as root causes of poverty.
Our chair, Rt Rev Graham Usher, the Bishop of Dudley, presented prizes to Jenny and the rest of her group at the end of the summer Fresh Steps programme.
“Often their confidence has been literally knocked out of them. I’ve heard some very challenging stories that have brought tears to my eyes but you can see their faces light up when they talk about the future.”
For more on the Bishop’s thoughts please listen here.
//audioboom.com/posts/6125571-rt-rev-graham-usher-bishop-of-dudley-on-domestic-abuse-and-chadd
We start Fresh Steps again in the autumn and, of course we keep supporting Jenny and the other people as they take further steps. If you need our help please contact us.
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