How Skills Development Scotland helped this teen transform her life

Tiffany’s key worker at Glendale, Nicola Mann got to work with a support plan for the youngster and contacted local Skills Development Scotland (SDS) careers adviser Mark Harrison to see what he could put in place to help Tiffany build confidence and a new life for herself. Nicola explained: “We always contact Mark when a young person fitting a certain age and stage like Tiffany comes to stay with us. He can help create a structure and social life for them as well as helping them to look at learning and career options. Mark’s helped at least three young people at Glendale. He never gives up on getting the young people into opportunities and keeps checking up with them to see if he can help them with anything like CVs and applications.” 

Mark explained: “Tiffany told me she had two interests; social care and childcare. This was mainly down to her own experience and she wanted to help other people in situations like hers.” 

Mark suggested that Tiffany get some experience of working in care and got in touch with Volunteer Midlothian, which runs the Transform Project for young people from 14 years old who need some extra support to get involved in volunteering. Mark helped Tiffany prepare for an informal interview to successfully land a placement at Woodburn Primary afterschool club. 

Mark also introduced Tiffany to the Y2K project to give her the opportunity to socialise with other young people. The project is a welcoming space that aims to tackle loneliness by offering fun activities, skill development and a focus on building confidence. After a year, Tiffany moved to another volunteer programme that she still supports, organising activities for elderly people in a residential care home. Tiffany explained: “After supporting young people, it’s been great to get experience of supporting elderly people, which has really helped me to understand the type of job I’d like to do in the future.” 

Tiffany’s meetings with Mark continued at Gorebridge Library or the SDS office in Dalkeith, as he helped her explore her options in the run up to her leaving school, like employment, college courses and apprenticeships. Mark helped Tiffany with career advice, finding a job at McDonald’s and, more recently, helped her with her college application. Having enrolled on to an introductory course at Edinburgh College last January, Tiffany, who is now 17, has progressed on to studying at the college towards her dream career in Social Services. Mark said: “Everything I put in place has helped Tiffany to get out, get to know her new area and feel confident living in Midlothian, developing her network and gaining a sense of belonging.” 

The support given to Tiffany by Mark is part of the free expert advice from SDS available to anyone looking for help to make learning and career decisions.  SDS delivers career information, advice and guidance services in schools, in SDS centres and in community venues across Scotland, through its freephone helpline 0800 917 8000, and online at My World of Work.  The life-changing support offered by Scotland’s career services is to be recognised through Scottish Careers Week, taking place 11- 15 November. 

Co-ordinated by SDS, the week will feature activities and events set to take place in communities all over the country to support people at all ages and stages of their career journey. Tiffany added: “Meeting Mark was really important for me because, before I met him, I didn’t know anyone, have an education plan or go out much. Mark got me into volunteering and college and I have made friends, so he’s made my life better. I would say to others in a situation like mine that they should take all the help available and, with that support, you can do anything, if you have a dream.” 

Find out what’s on during Scottish Careers Week and register to attend national and local events by visiting myworldofwork.co.uk/scottish-careers-week