Olga arrived in the UK in 2019 with extensive experience as a carer, but found herself working in a part-time cleaning role on a zero-hours contract. While it provided income, it lacked stability and didn’t reflect her skills or ambitions.
Her main barrier was confidence in spoken English, which made it difficult to return to the care sector.
After being referred through Stockwell Partnership, Olga joined the Parental Employment Programme where she received personalised support focused on her goals. She continued attending ESOL classes while exploring additional ways to build conversational English through local groups and online learning.
A key part of her journey was recognising her previous experience—over a decade working as a private carer in Spain, supported by vocational training. This helped rebuild her confidence and shape a clear path forward.
Alongside this, Olga began preparing for employment by developing a care-focused CV and was introduced to local services that will support her into work. She also received guidance on accessing childcare, giving her more flexibility to focus on her next steps.
Olga is now working towards transitioning into a stable and fulfilling role in the care sector.
“I would like to go back to working as a carer. It was a pleasure to do that job… I want to leave cleaning and go back to being a carer.”