Viewing life through a different lens

Ann-Marie spent 15 years of her life caring for family members and friends. When this came to an end Ann-Marie thought her barrier into work was that she lacked paid work experience. It was Ann-Marie’s work coach that persuaded her to go onto the North Tyneside Returneeship and Ann-Marie was keen to try anything that would increase her chances of getting back into employment.Although nervous on the first day, Ann-Marie volunteered to be a photographer.

She really enjoyed going out in her local area and being mentored by a professional photographer to experiment with new approaches to get an interesting shot. Through choosing the pictures that would go into the show she felt that her opinion mattered. This experience also allowed her to meet new people and bond as a team.

Alongside the classroom element where Ann-Marie was able to practise interview skills, tailor her CV and gain qualifications, her confidence improved significantly. With her mindset changed, instead of thinking that her time out of work caring for others unpaid was irrelevant, Ann-Marie realised that this was substantial experience and now her goal for the future is to establish herself within the care sector.