It’s been three weeks since Aidan joined as our Admin Assistant through Kickstart. He’s settled right in and is doing a fantastic job, already supporting people on the One You workshops.
Over to Aidan to introduce himself and his journey to TLC…….
Hello,
My name is Aidan, I recently turned 21 and I have just started as an administrative assistant at Transform Lives Company under the Kickstart scheme this week.
I am over the moon to be given the opportunity to work at Transform Lives, I had not actually heard of TLC before applying for this position but after doing vast amounts of research on the company, I knew it was somewhere I would feel welcomed and a place I would actually enjoy working for. I first found out about the job through Chell who is the Programme Manager at TLC, Chell was at the job centre when I had my meeting with my work coach. I had known that someone would be here to discuss working opportunities, however, I had in the back of my mind that someone in a suit would be trying to sell me a job that I would have no interest in taking.
I sat down and informed Chell that I have an interest in mental health and want a career in that path, I also told Chell that I was currently a volunteer at the Life Rooms in Walton, and after that, I was not sure who was happier to see who. I was made up that Chell had an opportunity for me to work at TLC and Chell was made up that I was the perfect fit for the role. I sent off my CV that day and had an interview lined up two weeks later.
I found out I got the role coming home from Paris, I just got on the train at Manchester Airport coming to Liverpool and Adam gave me a call to tell me I was successful and I would be starting in 3 days’ time, people must have been looking at me on the train thinking I had just won the lottery because I was ecstatic, as soon as I finished the call with Adam, I immediately rang my mum and told her the good news, it was a brilliant end to a fantastic week.
My previous job was working in admin at the Tribunal Courts on Dale Street, and I also done a bit of court ushering work. As much as the people in there were lovely, the job itself was very demoralising and depressing. It mainly involved people appealing their PIP getting rejected and having to read people's stories was heart-breaking. I would come home from work and feel like I had just done a 12-hour shift in A&E. I eventually left the Tribunal Courts after almost a year working there and went on to volunteer with The Life Rooms in Walton, however, due to the present pandemic, I was limited in ways I could help out.
As writing this, I am in my third week of being employed by TLC, I have never settled into a workplace as well as I have with TLC, I feel like I have known all my colleagues for years. I am someone who would describe myself as an introvert, and it takes me a very long time with new people, but everyone has been so welcoming towards me. I would also like to give a special mention to Adam, who I will be working closely with, as he is the main reason why I came out of my shell so quickly.
Mental health is extremely important to me, as I have had my own nightmares with it, and struggled a lot throughout my teenage years, often struggling silently, so to turn what was once my nightmare into a career-path means the world to me.
I cannot thank Transform Lives, and everyone involved enough. I do truly appreciate it from the bottom of my heart, and I cannot wait for the next 6 months.