There is certainly nothing like a global pandemic to make you reassess your life. Prior to COVID hitting the world, I thought I was content with the predictable ebb and flow of a life I now realise was only half lived. I had a steady job with a reliable income in an improving FE college, but with little prospect of advancement within a system which delivered few opportunities for employee development. My family meant the world to me, niece, nephews, brother, sister, parents, but not that special someone… Then along came a surprise from Woohan…
23rd March 2020 started a change in my perspective which has brought me to where I am today. I left my comfortable world to spend lockdown with someone I had met just two months before, giving up my steady job this time last year, taking on fixed term cover work whilst I worked out how I wanted to spend the rest of my career.
I began working as a Health and Social Care practitioner longer ago than I care to remember. It was six years ago that I then retrained and moved into learning and development. Even then, my ambition was to work as a trainer of staff in the care sector. I fell into FE as I needed a placement to train; pure and simple. Then, like many of us, I became comfortable with what I knew. But, all the time, that ambition was there, nagging me to pursue it.
Now is finally my time. The initial two months of my blossoming relationship has been nurtured thus far to a sparkly engagement ring and I currently have no commitments to fixed term work in FE. So, I’m launching my new training business as we speak, specialising in current content which I am passionate about delivering, to staff who have worked tirelessly the past 18 months to keep our most vulnerable and safe. COVID has given me perspective, the courage to develop myself as a trainer, and a new identity as a business owner.
We all need support to make positive changes to our lives, whether that be from family members, friends or mentors. People with a learning disability and autistic people often need a little more help to negotiate change, assess options and make plans for their future. But, with the right support, anyone can be empowered to make those big, important changes, and live their very best life on their own terms!
For more information on training in person-centred care planning, please check out the website montgomerysimpsoncaretraining.com or feel free to get in touch, nicola@montgomerysimpsoncaretraining.com
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