I started working for DISC three years ago as an administrator at the Young People’s Centre in Peterlee. I had always done office work before and hadn’t thought of doing anything else.
As I settled into my new job I learnt about DISC’s different projects and became interested in project work. When a mentoring project advertised for volunteers I put my name forward, did a mentoring course and thoroughly enjoyed working with young people in my spare time.

An opportunity arose for a project worker post with a young people’s drugs and alcohol peer education project. I was really pleased to be offered the job and also continued volunteering on the mentoring programme.

When the funding ended I moved to DISC’s Independent Living Unit, where I am now working as a Healthy Eating and Lifestyles Promotions worker and loving it. I visit people in their homes and offer advice on cooking, budgeting, shopping and exercise. One client might be a young parent, the next an elderly widower whose wife used to do all the cooking. Each person has their own particular plan which we change as their circumstances change.

I have always been made to feel valued and DISC has supported me through all of my work and voluntary roles. I feel honoured to be part of DISC’s growing family and hope to be so for a long time to come.