A young mum from Bellshill is helping others like her benefit from the assistance of a North Lanarkshire’s Working partner organisation.
Martha Gray was on Income Support for two years following the birth of her daughter, but, as a lone parent, she was keen to get back to work to help support her family.
Martha, 28, said: “I had worked in administration and contact centres before I had my daughter, but I hadn’t had much luck in finding a new job until I visited my local Routes to Work office.
“They were really friendly, and they soon helped me to sort out some childcare issues and develop my CV to boost my chances of finding work.”
The rapport she struck up with the Routes to Work officers paid off when a vacancy for a Project Assistant came up in the organisation’s main office in Bellshill.
Martha added: “I found out about the job and thought I would apply, without expecting much to come of it. But I was called to an interview and I was thrilled when I found out I’d been appointed.”
Today, Martha spends her time providing assistance to Routes to Work’s key workers, who offer help and support to people very much like her. She answers the phones, prepares letters to clients, and helps to resolve childcare issues.
Martha explained: “It’s a good feeling to know that I’m now part of the system that helped me to find work. The office has a great atmosphere, and I work in small, tight-knit team with everyone playing a vital role.
“By doing something worthwhile, I’m able to give something back to the community. It is rewarding to help people who find themselves in a similar situation to the one I was in only a few months ago.”
