Paul's Story

Paul had been out of work since his breakdown. With the help of Trust services, and volunteering opportunities in the community, he has been able to build up his confidence and skills, and is now back in paid employment, with great plans for the future. This is his story…

“I’ve had depression since my late teens, but about six years ago I had a major breakdown. I’ve been out of work since then. My aim has always been to get back into any kind of work. Voluntary or paid, it doesn’t really matter, as long as I felt I was doing something useful, and just being a part of ‘normal’ life again.

I’ve had some real bad experiences in the past with professionals; mental health professionals, but also people from benefits and places like that. Because you’ve got a mental health problem they think you lack intelligence. So there is that kind of attitude, but recently I haven’t had any of that.

I‘ve been working in catering on a voluntary basis for a couple of years, I used to work at the Salvation Army in the café there. Then I was out of commission altogether for about a year, but I was lucky enough to be referred to the Revive Café by my Community Psychiatric Nurse (CPN), and it’s been a real step in the right direction for me.

I became a kitchen assistant at the Café, and learnt everything that would help me get a job in the future; from the basics of making sure the kitchen is clean, to cooking and preparing food. It really did me a power of good working there on a voluntary basis. I started doing two days a week, and ended up working three days a week. Everybody in there is brilliant I can’t praise them enough. Paul and Kirsty, that’s the chef and his assistant, have really helped me to regain my confidence and self belief.

Alison, the employment advisor from the Mental Health Rehabilitation Service, has given me a lot of help as well. I now work, in a paid job, working for Coventry City Council as a kitchen assistant at a primary school, and I only really got it with Alison’s help. For example, I’d been out of practice filling in application forms, as you can imagine, and she helped me with that, and then she took me through the questions they would be likely to ask me at the interview. Funnily, and brilliantly enough, the questions she asked were pretty much spot on, so I felt relaxed about what they were asking me.

We have to feed 54 children every day. From the moment I walk in, it’s nonstop, which is how I prefer it. So I’m learning again how to cope under the pressure of work. It’s a helpful and friendly environment as well.

I hope to make a career out of this, and maybe end up as an assistant cook, or something of that nature. As I get older I’d really like to run my own little café. That might still be some time in the distance, but I’ve wanted to do that for a long time. But I’m not going to run before I can walk, I just want to get myself back in the workplace and try and build my confidence up again. As long as I’m doing something that keeps me in touch with people, it’s healthy for me.

Everyone has to find something different from the service, but, without hesitation, I would recommend it to anyone who is in mental or emotional distress and needs support and help."