A recipe for recovery: Damien’s story

Damien had been through a tough time after leaving his job in social housing. Following a traumatic incident at work, he developed PTSD, which led to ongoing depression. He’d also experienced bullying in a previous role, and lives with Fibromyalgia – causing pain and affecting his sleep and energy levels. After everything he’d been through, it’s no surprise that Damien had lost his confidence altogether, and was struggling to trust others. He became more and more cut off, and the busy social life he’d once loved started to fade away. Eventually, he rarely left his home.

Things began to change when Damien’s primary care team referred him to Connect to Work. Slowly, with guidance and support from his employment specialist, Damien started taking positive steps towards rebuilding his confidence – and getting his life back on track. Over time, Damien opened up about his skills and interests. Baking had always been his passion, so he started to explore whether he could make a go of it as a self-employment opportunity. With help from his employment specialist, he designed business cards and began promoting his services. Damien began to push beyond his comfort zone and see what could be possible.

As his confidence grew, so did his independence. Damien began leaving the house more often, going to the shops, reconnecting with his community and taking part in local groups. And as his baking business slowly got off the ground, he even looked at job opportunities that would give him some extra financial security. Damien knew he’d need a role that supported his wellbeing and balanced his work and personal needs, but for the first time, he felt able to explore his options.

Fast forward to today, and Damien’s baking venture is blossoming. He’s selling locally and creating a business around something he genuinely loves. Better yet, he’s found the resilience, determination and support to help him through whatever life throws at him. Now confident and self-assured, he’s got all the ingredients he needs to start an exciting new career.

Find out more about our Connect to Work programme in Norfolk, and don’t forget to read our other good news stories.