David is a committed Christian, preaching regularly at his local Baptist church, where he also leads small group discussions. Alongside his work as a Senior Laboratory Technician he has

also volunteered as a citizen advocate in his spare time, and supported one young man for almost a year. David wanted to further this type of work helping people, and to do this he

had to undertake some more support-focused qualifications.  

Although David holds a bachelors degree in Chemistry, he wanted some qualifications that would help him to give advice and guidance. He wanted to increase his knowledge of the sort of support that was in need, the outside support available, and to increase his social skills to fill the gap he perceived for male support workers. He joined the Level 2 and 3 programme run by Computer Gym UK Ltd, with a hope to do just that.

Being a very family-orientated person, David felt getting the work and home balance to be of the utmost importance. His decision to sometimes work from home made achieving his level 2 to take longer than he initially expected; but the flexible nature of the course allowed him to cope with his high workload, and change his learning as circumstances changed.

David found that the more he learnt the further he wanted to take his learning, and he decided he needed to take his Level 3 qualification. He says, "It was very interesting, and made me much more aware of myself; what and how I did things, and the different ways of working. It also gave me empathy with other learners having undertaken the qualification".  Throughout his learning, David says he reinforced his belief in himself and his abilities within the work place, and it made his career seem like a pathway he could finally travel as an equal.

David initially felt concerned that his late start into an industry containing a majority of female workers would prove difficult to him. But over the course of his studies his confidence grew, and he now feels fully confident supporting clients and employers in the workplace to ensure the rights of individuals with disabilities are recognised and maintained.

He has progressed forward to organise and attend Employer Networking Events, which have allowed him to meet other organisations and agencies, and to work with them to create further training and career opportunities. He has also attended recruitment events, and feels confident inducting and supervising voluntary staff members. David feels he provides a comprehensive training programme to both groups and individuals, monitoring the progress of each client, preparing development plans, and helping to raise awareness of issues relating to employment.

By arranging and attending networking events, David has been able to build up a network of co workers, partners, and contacts to help his clients. He now holds an understanding of industry standards, such as the Matrix, and looks forward to developing his work over time using innovative techniques and examples of best practice.

David works with adults with disabilities, helping them to set personal goals that they would like to achieve, and setting them on a path way they feel positive about. He helps individuals to manage their disability in a way that promotes independence, having a positive effect on both themselves and their employer; helping them grow in their knowledge and their ability. He also works with groups of people; preparing and making presentations, and leading small teams to help them work toward a common goal. David feels gaining his Level 2 and 3 have helped him to feel confident in managing a high workload, allowing him to help as many people as he can achieve their goals.