An inspirational journey powered by a love of literature
The words, “I’m not sure you are quite ready for GCSE English”, dried on his soon to be tutor's lips when she saw the steely determination behind Ferzende’s eyes.
Ordinarily, as someone so new to the UK, Ferzende would have been guided towards a basic English course, but when he mentioned that he wanted to read a Thomas Hardy novel, she decided to give Ferzende a chance.
Read more: An inspirational journey powered by a love of literature
A bitter sweet turning point to a new career
Evermore had her sights set on a career with Midlands Mencap which is what brought her to BAES.
Rewind a few years, and Evermore arrived in the UK unable to speak English. After completing a series of ESOL courses, she progressed to a Level 1 in Childcare, which is what motivated her to work with learning disabled children.
A springboard towards a creative career
Erika is one of life’s creatives. She’s always had a passion for the more imaginative industries and, in 2017, whilst on maternity leave, she enrolled on a BAES workshop in Floristry.
Not wanting to return to her previous career, and struggling with confidence, communication skills and applying for jobs, her hope was that this would set her on a path to a more creative career.