Laura Green - My Story
When I was a school I never thought about the future. Like most young people I never really worried about would happen after I left school. When I was in school I did various courses on business and in my last year the business enterprise group I was the company director for won an award. But when it was came to leaving school nobody looked at what I had achieved when they were planning on what I would do next. I do remember lots of meetings, but if I am honest looking back now I don’t think they really helped. Why? Because nothing ever happened.
At one meeting they suggested working in Asda but that was all that happened no work experience no filling in job application forms. It was a lot of hot air
The next step in the systems master plan for me was college; No one asked me or told me what course I would be doing they kept that a secret. No career planning for me, I was just killing time till I was moved onto the next step in the systems master plan. After 3 years I said no more I want out so I left. In my second year at college I got a job at a self-advocacy group in Halton called ‘Halton speak out’ helping other young people to speak up on issues that were important to them.
It was at this point in my life I started to take control. I had my first experience of person centered planning I was asked what I thought about my life, what things did I enjoy, what was I good at. For the first time I felt I had a chance to really think about my life and to begin to think about getting a job. This was a really positive time for me, with the support of my family and friends we talked about my skills and gifts.........I felt really good about myself.
So what about work I decided I wanted to work in fashion, not for someone else but I wanted to set up my own business selling fashion accessories. So that’s what I did.
I called my business Serendipity. I started working with small group of close friends. My ideas grew and grew and I soon realised that if I was going to do this and do it right I needed someone to help me on a more formal basis that’s when I made contact with the prince’s trust
I will always need a certain level of support & this is where my personal budget from social care comes in. Traditionally young people use their budgets for social activities I chose not to but to spend my budget on starting up & running my business. I now employ my employment personal assistant to help with my business and they currently pay for 9 hours (please see my support plan for further details). My family and friends will still be in my life as part of my circle of support. I can go out with them for a meal and say ‘so what did you do at work today? I did... You don’t know how good that sounds to me. I am a businesswoman, a woman who runs her own business, how many other 24 year olds can say that?
‘Serendipity’ is not just a dream I have made it a reality.
At one meeting they suggested working in Asda but that was all that happened no work experience no filling in job application forms. It was a lot of hot air
The next step in the systems master plan for me was college; No one asked me or told me what course I would be doing they kept that a secret. No career planning for me, I was just killing time till I was moved onto the next step in the systems master plan. After 3 years I said no more I want out so I left. In my second year at college I got a job at a self-advocacy group in Halton called ‘Halton speak out’ helping other young people to speak up on issues that were important to them.
It was at this point in my life I started to take control. I had my first experience of person centered planning I was asked what I thought about my life, what things did I enjoy, what was I good at. For the first time I felt I had a chance to really think about my life and to begin to think about getting a job. This was a really positive time for me, with the support of my family and friends we talked about my skills and gifts.........I felt really good about myself.
So what about work I decided I wanted to work in fashion, not for someone else but I wanted to set up my own business selling fashion accessories. So that’s what I did.
I called my business Serendipity. I started working with small group of close friends. My ideas grew and grew and I soon realised that if I was going to do this and do it right I needed someone to help me on a more formal basis that’s when I made contact with the prince’s trust
I will always need a certain level of support & this is where my personal budget from social care comes in. Traditionally young people use their budgets for social activities I chose not to but to spend my budget on starting up & running my business. I now employ my employment personal assistant to help with my business and they currently pay for 9 hours (please see my support plan for further details). My family and friends will still be in my life as part of my circle of support. I can go out with them for a meal and say ‘so what did you do at work today? I did... You don’t know how good that sounds to me. I am a businesswoman, a woman who runs her own business, how many other 24 year olds can say that?
‘Serendipity’ is not just a dream I have made it a reality.