What was your first week like at work?
My first week at Thera was great, Suzanne (Managing Director) and Emma (Executive Assistant) helped me to settle in straight away and I had a Senior Management Team meeting and Board meeting all in my first week which was great. I also received a warm welcome from Jenny and Matthew (Directors of Quality and Involvement) on my first day.
What has your first 6 months been like with Thera?
My first 6 months at Thera has been amazing, I have loved every minute of it! Everyone has been so welcoming, and I have achieved so much in 6 months. I have been speaking with the people we support virtually and over the phone and I have spoken to nearly 30 people that we support since I started. Other things I have been doing are working alongside Matt Bindon on Positive Behaviour Support and I am doing an e-learning course on Challenging Behaviour. I have been attending lots of meetings, writing reports etc. I love being in a leadership role and I am looking forward to shaping the future of Thera (Scotland).
What have you learnt from working at Thera?
I have learned since working for Thera that I am a good leader and that I can show other people with a learning disability that they can get jobs in leadership roles. I have learned that I can be a good line manager as I line manage my Executive Assistant and I can work independently with support from my Executive Assistant when needed. I am very grateful to be Service Quality Director for Thera (Scotland) as many people with a learning disability would love to be in this role!
What advice would you give to a person with a learning disability wanting to get a job?
My advice to people with a learning disability who are trying to find work is to never give up and when you find a job don’t settle for that push yourself to go as high as you can up the career ladder. My dream is to be Managing Director one day and I have learned so much from our Managing Director Suzanne already.
Have you got any useful tips/resources that would help people with a learning disability when starting work?
My tip for anyone with a learning disability when starting work is to believe in yourself and to work hard to get to where you want to be in your career. Don’t be afraid to ask for help and to know if you are struggling are employment services out there that can support you.