After being dealt a tough hand in life, Donna’s defeating her barriers and has now got a job, thanks to esg.
Donna Sheffield, 28, was brought up in the north side of Glasgow. School life was very hard for her and after being bullied for a number of years she’d had enough and decided to leave, just three months before her sixteenth birthday.
She was in luck and found a job in a chip shop as soon as she turned 16. Staying in the catering industry Donna worked for five years, trying out a number of roles, from waitressing in cafes and restaurants to working in fast food outlets. But everything changed when her mother became ill. She gave up work and became her mum’s full-time carer.
Two years down the line Donna herself became ill and was diagnosed with MELAS syndrome, a serious disorder that can affect the nervous system and also results in muscle wasting.
Donna said: “I was devastated when I found out about my illness. I ended up on ESA (Employment Support Allowance) and after a few months got referred to
esg. by my adviser at Maryhill Jobcentre Plus.”
At esg. she met up with work coach Lesley Ann Duffy who told us: “Donna was really anxious to get back into work so she could stand on her own two feet and support herself and help her mum.”
“We updated her CV, practised interview techniques and started searching for the type of jobs she wanted. With experience and so much enthusiasm I had high hopes for her.”
Together they secured four interviews and on the fourth Donna was offered full-time employment in Dino’s, a fast food shop.
Donna commented: “I’ve been through quite a lot in my life, but the support from the team at esg. really helped me to turn my life around for the better. Thank you!”