Success Stories: Angela and Margaret (STRIVE Dunbartonshire, Scotland, The Lennox Partnership)

	Angela in her new workplace with her manager, Catherine.

STRIVE has made a profound impact on many people’s lives in Scotland, where government-run workforce programs are limited in their approach and success rates. Angela and Margaret entered STRIVE unemployed, with no foreseeable way out of the doldrums.

For Angela, the STRIVE workshop provided her with the confidence and job-search skills she needed to enter the job market with a fresh sense of possibility and the knowledge that she could face whatever challenges might arise. "The STRIVE workshop was invaluable to me. After 4 years of being unemployed, I am now working with a local retailer as a Supervisor. I have got my career back on track, and I thank the STRIVE team for all of their support and encouragement."

	Margaret serves customers in her new job.

Before entering the STRIVE workshop, Margaret's choices were limited by her overwhelmingly negative attitude. Accustomed to the impersonal nature of local social services, Margaret was surprised to discover how skilled and caring the STRIVE training staff turned out to be. By the end of her 3-week training cycle, Margaret had obtained answers to her most pressing — and at times, difficult — questions. "I feel that I have overcome my barriers in the last 3 weeks. I enjoyed the course, and I feel that it has made a big improvement to how I was before taking part in the workshop. I've gained a positive attitude!"

After a lot of hard work, Margaret is now employed with a local retailer.

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