How you’ve supported Sam’s journey to confidence

With 100% of our business profits going directly to charitable causes through our parent charity, we spotlight a specific area of impact each month.

This month, we focus on how our charity’s Multiply programme, funded by your support, has helped Sam.

Sam was referred to the Multiply programme by his Employment & Skills (E&S) advisor to improve his maths skills. Being autistic and experiencing anxiety, he initially had very low confidence in speaking to others. He often spoke in whispers, hid behind his hand, wore a hat, and displayed signs of nervous anxiety.

When it came to meeting Sam for the first time, our team immediately worked out the best approach was short-term, one-on-one support sessions, specifically in maths. Over time, our charity began to build trust with Sam, using football as a way to break down communication barriers. As Sam began to open up, his self-awareness improved and his anxiety lessened.

Sam’s commitment and the personalised support he received resulted in remarkable progress in his maths skills. By December 2023, he successfully earned his Level 1 Maths qualification with an outstanding score. Although his participation in the Restart programme had concluded by then, Sam’s confidence had increased so much that he started contemplating employment.

But our charity didn’t want to stop there. Recognising Sam’s potential, they didn’t want to just stop supporting him. Therefore, the team introduced Sam to another one of our charity’s programmes, Next Steps Together (NST).

The NST programme gave Sam the opportunity to undertake an accredited employability course, where during the sessions, his confidence began to grow. Remarkably, Sam gave a short presentation as part of the course, a huge milestone for Sam considering the initial anxiety and reluctance to speak.

His previous Restart Advisor noted the dramatic transformation, barely recognising the new, more confident Sam.

Following a successful completion of the employability course, Sam went on to earn another qualification. Sam then took the leap and enrolled in an accredited ICT course. He is now finalising his portfolio for this course, which will earn him yet another qualification.

We’re so pleased to see the change in Sam and the impact our charity has had on him. Without your support, we really couldn’t do any of this.

Today, Sam demonstrates humour, increased confidence, and a positive outlook on his future. His journey from a nervous, withdrawn individual to a confident, proactive participant in various programmes highlights the transformative impact of personalised support and encouragement.