Chris, a 31 year old labourer from the Midlands had been trying to better his prospects. Eager to move into a site manager role, he had been let go for not having the right qualifications. With family to take care of and no income to finance his course, he was facing a Catch-22.
Like many in construction, Chris knew his contract work at a small construction firm could end at any time. When a site manager position came up and he was promised the position, he enrolled in an SMSTS course to gain the proper qualifications. Financially committed and with the second half left to complete, his company let him go.
In the space of an afternoon, Chris’ world had been upended. He had made a significant outlay on his SMSTS course and was also taking care of his parents who suffered with poor mental health. Trying to keep up with that as well as the general cost of living was proving impossible, and he was struggling with anxiety.
He contacted CITB to see if there was any financial assistance available to support his training and they signposted him to the Lighthouse Charity. Out of options and feeling apprehensive, Chris called our helpline.
Once he got through to the team, he felt the burden lift. Our caseworker took the time to explore his situation before offering debt guidance, benefit entitlement advice and signposting to relevant avenues of support. We worked closely with him to find funding to complete his SMSTS course and helped ease his financial troubles by providing food shops in the interim.
Chris shared, “Despite my hesitation to reach out, I am profoundly impressed by the assistance I was offered. They took the time to listen to my situation and give me great guidance in the steps I could take to get help.”
With some support in place to pursue his goals, we are pleased to report that Chris has now successfully started the second half of his course. He has told us he’s feeling much more relaxed and no longer feels anxious, and has a ‘spring in his step’ as he takes on this new chapter.
“I have been blessed with the opportunity to complete my desired course thanks to help from the Lighthouse Charity and the team. I would advise anyone who is struggling or merely needs advice to reach out to Lighthouse.”
If you can relate to Chris’ struggles and you’re finding life tough, help is here – call our free 24/7 helpline 0345 605 1956 (UK) 1800 939 122 (ROI) or web chat live with one of our advisors at www.lighthousecharity.org
