Our voice
As a local grassroots charity, working with and supporting local people is at the centre of everything we do because we fully believe in the power of supporting each other. So, over the coming months we want to share some of the stories of how we came to be the team we are and the personal journeys we all came onto get there.
We’ve all been on our own employment journey, and we believe it’s important to share that because it’s not all about training, confidence, cv writing, it’s also about personality, commitment and finding your passion.
Sophie Dobson is our Facilities Lead but before CVL she had been out of work for 3 years until she joined our confidence-building employability project called “Progress”. Following Progress, Sophie started to volunteer with us in 2020, and within 12 weeks, she applied and successfully secured the paid position of administrator and receptionist.
After a period out of work looking after her young son, following a relationship breakdown, Sophie’s self-confidence was at an all-time low and this, combined with her struggles with dyslexia left her uncertain about what the future had in store. However, after some time with the wonderful people at CVL, Sophie’s self-belief began to blossom, she took on more responsibility and embarked on a level 3 Business Administration course.
Sophie not only completed and passed the course in November 2021, achieving a full distinction, the highest level you can receive. Sophie commented:
“I had limited confidence before working with CVL, but through the support I received and the mentoring by Rachel Gault, our then Head of Operations, I realised I wanted to help myself by improving my knowledge and abilities.”
Sophie also explained:
“The course is designed to help you apply your learning to your everyday role so that it fits into your work life too. It was very challenging at times, but with support from my tutor, I loved it and feel even more proud of myself for pushing through the tough times and achieving something I never thought possible.”
Four years on and Sophie is now the lifeblood of our centre, keeping everything running smoothly, running activities, building her qualifications in youth work and supporting people who drop by in complete crisis. If it wasn’t for her commitment and loyalty, we might not be in the shape we are, so we say a huge thank you for being you!
At CVL, we often work with people who came to us seeking support and we’re so proud of the hard work they put in to find themselves because it’s not an easy journey, but they prove it is possible. We strive to make a difference because we believe everyone can make a valuable contribution to their community, and we are here to support people to do that.