Lorna Heaps joined the Empower program in an effort to raise her self-confidence and become more proactive with regard to her future. At age 20, Lorna deferred from her university course believing her disability to be a barrier to both her learning and future employment and so joined the Empower course in order to receive support for these concerns.
When describing these lessons, Lorna stated “it’s okay to be worried but you will be looked after and will learn a lot about yourself as well as the world you live in. So give it a go!” The course was also described as being a good pace for her, encouraging self-reflection over the barriers she has experienced in the past.
Since her completion of the program, Lorna has undergone multiple courses including ‘Understanding Autism’ and training to become a teaching assistant with a guaranteed interview with North East Autism Society.
The course provided by DurhamWorks, ranging from one to one sessions with her provider, Olivia Cummings, to studying different types of content has given Lorna the freedom to decide which direction her life goes without feeling hindered by her disability.
When describing Lorna’s journey in the program, Olivia Cummings said,
“It has been amazing to see Lorna grow in confidence and have a clear focus in what she would like to do. I know Lorna will be able to inspire others in her future endeavours and roles. She has been a wonderful addition to our cohort!”
If you are 16 to 24 or know of someone in that age range who is looking for support on their journey into education employment, training or an apprenticeship contact DurhamWorks.
DurhamWorks is a dedicated program for young people living in County Durham offering one to one support from dedicated members of the team. DurhamWorks helps young people to get the skills and training that they need to find a job, apprenticeship, become a volunteer or even just progress their learning. All this support is provided free of charge.
Article by DurhamWorks client, Dylan Stoddart.
