Debbie looks after her partner who has PTSD and her youngest daughter who has ADHD. She also struggles with her own health issues, including work-related stress from her previous job.
Debbie’s work had become increasingly overwhelming, and an ongoing grievance situation left her feeling anxious every day. She wasn’t offered any support as a carer, and didn’t know how to manage her stress and anxiety.
With work-related stress getting worse, Debbie felt her only option was to hand in her notice.
Shortly after leaving her job, Debbie was referred into the Working for Carers project after seeing a social media post advertising support for carers.
She was interested in applying for a new job, but she didn’t know where to start – it had been over 20 years since she last applied for work. Debbie was also concerned about work-related stress and an employer who didn’t understand her extra needs as a carer.
Debbie met with her Working for Carers advisor, who offered coaching and support to find suitable jobs for Debbie. Over regular one-to-one sessions, Debbie and her advisor worked together to create a new CV, tailoring it to match different job descriptions.
“I appreciate the CV sessions so much, I get so overwhelmed sometimes and this has been such a good help.”
Debbie felt comfortable to have an honest discussion about her previous situation at work, and how her anxiety had gotten to a point where she felt she had to leave the job.
Her advisor spent time talking with Debbie about a variety of coping mechanisms and the different support networks available for her to manage work-related conflicts and stressful situations.
She learnt more about her rights at work as a carer, and was signposted to different organisations who could also offer support. This included a therapist to help Debbie manage her anxiety.
The Working for Carers advisor maintained regular contact with Debbie over text, email, phone calls and face-to-face appointments. This meant she could still balance her own wellbeing and caring role with the employment support.
After applying for several roles together, Debbie was offered an interview and was successful in getting the job. The employer was understanding of her caring role and adapted the job to allow Debbie to work from home throughout the week.
The confidence-building sessions Debbie and her Working for Carers advisor worked on allowed Debbie to start negotiating a higher salary too.
Debbie said: “Thank you so much for all your help – I never thought I would be in a position where I’m not feeling anxious about work. I’m feeling confident for the first time in years and it’s such a breath of fresh air.”
North Tyneside Carers’ Centre, Newcastle Carers and Carers Northumberland are working together to deliver the Working for Carers Project. This project is funded by the UK government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, with the North East Combined Authority as the lead authority.
We provide friendly and specialised support for unpaid carers aged 16+ to find a job, maintain employment, access education, training and volunteering opportunities. The project also supports employers to become carer-friendly workplaces. Find out more about the Working for Carers project.
