Pheobe Gains Financial Independence with Paid Employment

We are delighted to celebrate Phoebe, a 28-year-old resident at Tigh Coilean, who has recently secured a paid role as a co-trainer for the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training.

Phoebe moved into Tigh Coilean in November 2016 and has since made remarkable progress. Her opportunity came when a former member of staff, now part of the Oliver McGowan training team, recognised the value of Phoebe’s lived experience and invited her to become involved in the nationally recognised training programme.

Instead of a traditional interview, Phoebe completed three days of training, carefully adapted into half-day sessions over two months to ensure she felt supported and not overwhelmed. Phoebe enjoyed the learning process and was thrilled to receive her work badge after successfully completing the training.

In her role, Phoebe supports the training of new staff by sharing her lived experience of autism, learning disabilities, and life in care. She speaks about what good support looks like to her, what helps her feel happy, and how staff can better understand and support people with similar needs.

To help Phoebe feel confident at work, Kisimul staff and the Oliver McGowen training team worked together to create a PowerPoint presentation, as well as a risk assessment, support plan and PBS plan, ensuring her support remains consistent and person-centred.

Since starting work, Phoebe’s confidence has grown, and her outlook on employment has become positive. Having a paid role has given her something meaningful to look forward to and has helped her become more open both at work and at home.

Phoebe said, “I love my job because I get to share my experiences and I feel listened to. I’m happy I can help staff who work in homes like where I live, and I enjoy being paid for the work I do.”

We are incredibly proud of Phoebe and her achievements.