Single mother-of-three Ally, 45, found out about the course from Jobcentre Plus after she had been on benefits for 36 months. Ally said:
“I was running my business on a trial basis with support from the job centre and I thought that I was ready to go it alone and get off benefits completely.
“They told me about the course and it sounded perfect, and with free childcare at the college available for my three-year-old, I knew that it could become a reality. It really gave me the tools to succeed, improved my confidence and introduced
me to lots of other people in the same position.”
Now Ally is aiming to optimise her website www.allysgiftshop.co.uk and further develop the gift shop parties side of the business, which she launched to bring the products direct to the customer.
She added: “The training has meant the difference between the business succeeding or not. It’s helped me gain the knowledge and confidence to make it a success. I really wanted my children to see that there was more to their mum
than someone at home on benefits. My 16-year-old daughter is aiming to go to university to train to be an architect. Now I really feel I can support her goals and inspire her to succeed.”