Good News Story - Jane

For privacy, we have anonymised our clients' names, removed any identifying details and used stock photos. We have obtained consent from the clients discussed below to share their story.

Jane was self-referred to Real Purpose after being told about Real Purpose’s

services at the local mental health NHS Trust’s Recovery College where Jane had

completed some courses.

Jane had been attending the Recovery College to improve her confidence and mental health after leaving her former career which she could no longer work in due to a physical injury.

Jane last worked in 2023 after several years’ employment as a tyre fitter and

supervisor – she admitted that carrying out this work with her injury and fluctuating

mental health was becoming increasingly difficult and decided to leave, recover as

much as she could and then find a new career or become self-employed.

It is in this recovery phase in January 2024 that Jane first met her employment adviser at a

Real Purpose Employment Clinic.

The adviser and Jane completed a vocational profile, spoke about different careers

and self-employment, as well as learning opportunities, but Jane was very keen to

find paid part-time work.

As part of the assessment it became apparent that Jane had sustained her injury competing for the England team as an accomplished sportswoman and then spent several years as an instructor in the sport. Jane admits that if she had not been taken away from the streets as a teenager by the offer of sports training she may well have ended up in prison like her friends did and she puts this lucky escape down to the discipline she put in and the enthusiasm she had for the sport.

Only recently Jane applied for a job in a new to open retail store, so her adviser and

Jane prepared for the interview including dealing with disclosure of her mental health

issues, primarily emotional unstable personality disorder, as well as her physical

injury, to the employer.

Jane used these techniques when she was offered an interview and was told by the employer that “it was the best interview they had seen done all day” – quite the compliment which gave Jane a boost! Jane has since been offered a job – a better one than what she applied for - two days a week – as they have asked her to be a shift leader which is incredible and although Jane admits to feeling a bit nervous about starting, she says she will give it her best shot and will want the time-unlimited in-work support offered by Real Purpose. Go Jane!