When Nadene Stevenson’s husband John became ill and needed a liver transplant, she took time out to care for him.
Once he was over the worst, Nadene was determined to get back into work – but she knew her old job in sales wouldn’t work for her anymore. “I was making constant trips to the hospital and I tried to keep going, looking after the family and finding work, but I worried about how we were going to cope,” says Nadene, from Ongar, Essex.
For the first time in her life, she had to claim benefits. “When I first went to the jobcentre, I thought: what am I going to do? But my work coach was lovely and really helpful”.
Help from her jobcentre, combined with Nadene’s drive and determination, meant she soon built up a new and varied career.
Now she works as an exam invigilator, sells advertising for a magazine, and hosts networking groups for POP Connect, a company which helps businesses connect. “There’s always work out there, and there’s nothing you can’t do if you put your mind to it. You do have to be relatively confident, but just go for it”.
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