What Skillstep Can Do for You…

 

Before Henshaws became part of my life, I was a very different  person.

I have been visually impaired from birth in that my eyes cannot  focus on any object, and I am also severely short sighted.

This meant I grew up feeling like I wasn’t worth anything. Sometimes I felt like the loneliest boy in school. And then one day,  as I was walking home from school, I was run over by a car at a zebra crossing because I couldn’t see it. As if things weren’t bad enough, I now had to deal with walking difficulties and memory loss, as well as severe scarring on my body.

It destroyed any confidence or self-esteem I had left about myself. I was convinced that I wouldn’t achieve anything with my life. As the years went on I became severely depressed, and was taking medication just to cope with every day life.

The turning point came when I met someone who gave me contact details for Henshaws.  I used to attend a sight service at my local hospital in Gateshead, but I wasn’t aware of any service out there that offered practical help as well as emotional help and guidance. Making that first call was incredibly difficult, but when I spoke to Philippa, the Skillstep co-ordinator, she immediately made me feel at ease. Philippa got me onto the Skillstep course in Newcastle, and since then, I’ve never looked back.

The thing that I loved most about Henshaws was the way the staff were so friendly and helpful, I knew I could contact them at any time if I needed to. Also, it was comforting to meet people like myself and know that I was not alone in my condition. But it was when I met people who were totally blind and yet so positive that I realised I was the lucky one, and that if they could be so happy and content with life then so could I.

I decided that I wanted to get back into work. Henshaws supported me every step of the way, and even helped to find placements suitable to my needs. They got me onto a charity called Acorn Computing, where I refurbish and recycle outdated computers. I have now been kept on as a permanent volunteer, and am absolutely thrilled. For the first time in eight years, I came off my antidepressants, a big achievement for me. My confidence has increased massively; and I have no doubt that it was all down to Henshaws.

Thanks to Henshaws I’ve realised that here is help out there; you just have to be brave enough to ask for it.