Caroline Whittle from the Isle of Wight is now a confident young businesswoman after overcoming illness and unemployment – thanks to support from Learning Links and an innovative programme led by Prevista and funded by the European Social Fund through the regional development agency SEEDA.

The graphic designer had spent three years battling the neurological condition myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), also known as chronic fatigue syndrome. She learned how to manage it, but the illness left her with low levels of confidence and worried about the future.

‘Practically unemployable due to my condition and the fact that I lived in the middle of nowhere without my own transport and a seldom-passing bus service, I was becoming increasingly frustrated and deeply depressed,’ explained Caroline. ‘The best thing for me was to become self-employed, but I didn't know where or how to start.’

Caroline heard about Learning Links and got in touch with adviser Hammie Tappenden who was about to run a six week workshop on self-employment for creative people: ‘I signed up and it was the best thing I ever did. We met every week and were taken through everything we needed to know about starting and running a successful business.

‘Hammie and her colleague Fiona were amazing. They were kind, encouraging and friendly and they believed in us, which was incredibly inspiring. This enabled me to see what I really wanted to do, where my strengths lie and, most importantly, how to both work and manage my condition.

‘I love being in control of my own business and working on my own projects,’ said Caroline. ‘Learning Links was the missing link for me and I am so grateful for the help and encouragement I received from a wonderful team.’