The impact of Team Domenica's programmes is best seen through the eyes of our candidates, their families and our employer partners…
Katie is a kind and bubbly person, but she always felt as though the world didn’t understand her. After struggling at college, her confidence was at an all-time low, but that all changed when she enrolled at Team Domenica.
Katie joined the programme fearful of getting things wrong or feeling out of place. However, the Team Domenica staff reassured her that she had the ability to achieve her goals, and that it didn’t matter if she made mistakes – together they could overcome any challenge. Through this support, Katie slowly regained her confidence and began to thrive.
After starting at Team Domenica, we all noticed the difference in Katie’s demeanour. She would come home full of excitement and was happy to talk about what she was doing – inviting everyone to come and have a coffee at their cafés.
Jan, Katie's mum
With this new lease of life, Katie began her work placements with local businesses, learning more about what she enjoyed and what worked for her. Then, in her second year, she started a supported internship at the Brighton i360. In this position, she took on many different roles such as selling and checking tickets, working in the gift shop and serving drinks in the boarding area.
With the help of her job coach and colleagues, Katie was soon able to get to grips with all of these tasks. And, whilst she sometimes struggled with her anxiety around failure, she was quickly able to develop strategies to help manage her fears.
Katie coped well with meeting new colleagues but talking to the public was initially a little more tricky. We worked on some stock phrases to overcome this and it wasn’t long before she was happy to ask them questions and answer queries. It was great to see her confidence develop.
Kate, Katie’s Job Coach
After a time, Katie became so independent that she felt as though she no longer needed a mentor in the workplace. Team Domenica listened carefully to her wishes and her job coach began to withdraw her support. Katie had grown from a timid teenager, to a confident and hardworking young woman who believed in herself and her abilities.
Unsurprisingly, in Spring 2021, Katie was offered paid employment at Brighton i360. Since getting her job, Katie completed training in the ‘pod’ and she now takes customers on flights and serves drinks in the skies! If she ever feels that she may not have done so well at work, Katie is able to attend Team Domenica’s ongoing mentor sessions, where she talks about any issues worrying her.
With the help of our Wrap Around Programme, Katie was also supported to apply for a new role at the i360 after being made redundant in December 2024. Excitingly, Katie was successful in her application and has since returned to work! She loves being back in the workplace, making friends and having financial independence.
