Believing in yourself – Trish’s story

Trish was referred to the Restart Scheme by her Work Coach at Jobcentre Plus. A year after setting up her own business delivering art sessions, Trish found that she still relied on Universal Credit payments and needed further support to increase her self-employed income.

Trish has a background in providing supportive art and crafts workshops to children, adults, and people with learning difficulties, so after relocating from the south of England, she decided to go self-employed and set up her own workshop. However, during her first year, Trish struggled to reach the income she needed, which is when she was referred to the Restart Scheme.

Upon joining the Restart Scheme, participants receive personal support from designated Employment Advisers, who will work with them to create and achieve a personally developed action plan.

During her initial appointment, Trish met with her Employment Adviser, Lara, who assessed her current situation and created an action plan together, structured to help her achieve her job goals. Lara told us:

“Trish built on her confidence by attending skills courses and appointments with me. We started looking at more options to build her business, whilst exploring PAYE options to run alongside and support her whilst she continued to work on her business.”

Our Restart Scheme Specialist Self-Employment Advisers are available to support participants to identify business opportunities, and a range of training courses to help equip participants with the skills they need to make a success of their own business.

“While we were looking for ways to increase her business,” continued Lara, “Trish found an opportunity to take on an existing art shop, that held regular classes. Trish was supported by the Restart Scheme via Lara and our Self-Employment team to set up her business from the shop, and completing the necessary paperwork involved.

“We helped Trish with a marketing course and even provided a new A3 printer for printing workshop and marketing material, paperwork, price tickets and invoices.

“Trish is now settled into ‘The ArtRoom’ and is continuing the success of the skills classes, selling other artists’ art and art materials, which she attributes to building personal relationships with regular customers and bringing people back to the store.”

Trish said: “Without the incredible support from Lara, I was very close to giving up on my dream of self-employment. The support I received from the team at the Restart Scheme was amazing and I would like to thank them all.”