Hearing test leads to new life for Gail
A Clayton woman is back in work
for the first time in six years after a hearing test changed her
outlook on life.
Gail Briggs, 40, had suffered hearing loss for
a number of years but refused to admit she had a disability so
never did anything about it – a move that left her jobless,
unsociable and despondent.
But after reaching her birthday milestone last
year, she decided she needed to make radical changes to her life
and started by having a hearing test.
Gail was fitted with two hearing aids
following the test and was referred to employment and skills
specialists Working Links and the Royal National Institute for Deaf
people (RNID) for help in her quest for sustainable work.
She said: “I lost my charity job about six
years ago and subsequently lost my confidence.
“Having been unemployed for a number of years
and slowly losing my hearing at the same time, I had become very
isolated from the outside world and I avoided social occasions.
“As time went by, I realised I needed help as
my prospects of gainful employment were very slim.”
With the help of the RNID – which is
subcontracted by Working Links to help deliver one of its
back-to-work programmes – Gail was supported in her journey through
confidence building, encouragement and targeted job searches.
She added: “They helped me realise that just
because I am disabled, it didn’t detract from who I was and they
reminded me that I am still the person I was before my hearing
became a problem.
“I actually managed to get the first job I
interviewed for, which was a major boost for me.”
Gail was successfully appointed as Patient
Services Assistant at Sodexo earlier this year and also received an
award for her achievement at a recent Working Links ceremony.
Working Links is celebrating Gail’s success
during Deaf Awareness Week (June 28-July 4).
To find out more about how Working Links helps people, call
0800 917 9262 or contact
us.