Bloxwich woman: From rock-bottom to loving life
Two-and-a-half years after losing her job and her beloved nan, Amy Davies is today helping other Black Country people push past mental health low points like she suffered at the end of 2022.
Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565
Until then she had been working at a local music school in a role she loved - then, suddenly, she found herself out of a job and on Universal Credit.
“My mental health suffered, and I lost my confidence,” said Amy, 25, from Bloxwich.
“I felt like I was in a bubble, alone in a trap I couldn’t get out of. I felt unworthy. No-one was giving me a chance to show what I could do.”
When applying for jobs, prospective employers would say “you’ve only got music experience” and doors would slam shut.
Then she applied for a role of initial contact coordinator at Starting Point Recruitment (SPR) in Walsall – and, to her surprise, she got it.
Amy has been working at SPR for the past six months, speaking with applicants, putting them at ease and drawing on her own experience to give them hope that they too can progress into work.
Being in work, learning and often “out of her comfort zone” has done Amy a world of good.
“My mental health is way better now, and my confidence has grown. I feel like myself again,” she said.
“I always like helping others because I know what it’s like. I’ve been there.”
Amy said the advice of her nan, who she remembers fondly every day, inspired her to turn her life around.
She said: “My nan was like a mum to me. Losing her was horrific. But I’ll always remember her words to me: ‘You can ask others for advice, but only you can do it yourself.’”
Professor Paul Cadman, chief executive of SPR, said: “Amy is a brilliant person whose future potential is unlimited. Her story should serve as an inspiration to people in similar situations.”
SPR, whose main office is in Walsall, places between 80 and 120 people a month into jobs across the West Midlands. At any given moment its live jobs board - https://sprsearch.co.uk/ - has up to 40,000 roles advertised on it.
“SPR’s aim is not just to get people into employment but to put the wind back in their sails, to make them believe in themselves and be their best,” added Prof. Cadman.
