"I had lost my hope about getting a job..."

Christie began her Trainee placement with us in 2024 after being made redundant from her previous role and struggling with her mental health. Low mood and anxiety made teamwork, commucation and goal-setting especially difficult, and she was losing motivation to return to work. Then Christie discovered Paws & Pause!

Christie and her fan club!

"When I first started my placement at Paws & Pause, I had lost my hope about getting a job. I’d been to loads of interviews before, but nothing was working out. However, not long after I began the placement, I started to feel more optimistic.

I actually believed I could do well, and I even thought that by the end of the programme, I might manage to secure a job.

I felt really grateful that everyone enjoyed having me around. The placement helped a lot with my mental health and anxiety—especially on days when I didn’t feel like going in. Seeing how happy the dogs were to have me there completely lifted my mood! Working at Paws & Pause also helped me gain confidence in handling different dog breeds, which is super useful for my future goal of becoming a veterinary nurse.

From the start, my hope was to work closely with a variety of dog breeds and sizes, and to boost my confidence in a workplace—especially one in the animal industry. I definitely achieved that! I learned so much information from everyone I worked with, and, in the end, I landed the job I’d been wanting for ages; next week I start my dream job as a Veterinary Care Assistant!

I felt so supported during my time at Paws & Pause. People encouraged me not to give up and kept reminding me that I’d eventually get to where I wanted to be.

It was a big contrast from my previous job, where I never felt like I was part of the team and found it pretty stressful. At Paws & Pause, everyone was welcoming and friendly, and if I had any issues, they’d help me out in any way they could. I’m really thankful for the whole experience—it lifted my spirits, gave me new skills, and helped me get the job I’d been hoping for. Christie xXx

To help support more Trainees like Christie, please consider donating to our Community Interest Company (CIC). Your contributions will go directly towards travel costs, learning materials, and training courses—empowering our Trainees as they work towards regaining employment.