Back in 2005, before he joined Autism Initiatives, David was young senior support worker in an elderly care home in Edinburgh who felt he was under achieving and under valued.

“I didn’t feel my skills were being utilised to their full potential and the money was extremely poor. I decided to go to an agency to make up for the short fall in my wages. When I went for an interview at the agency they said ‘there’s this new place just opened down the road called Autism Initiatives Shandon Road’.  Although at the time I knew nothing about autism it sounded like an opportunity I couldn’t pass up.”

At interview David found out that his starting salary as a Support Worker would be much more than what he was on as a senior in the care home and he was delighted to be given the opportunity to develop his skills and work with autistic people.

“I was posted to the only service at the time in Edinburgh (Shandon Road) and this became my home away from home. My heart still lies in Shandon to this day.”

A Senior Support Worker post became available, which involved David leaving his ‘comfort zone’ and helping to set up a new service in Bingham in the East of Edinburgh.

“I didn’t want to leave Shandon but I knew I had to step out the comfort zone in order to progress, so I did.  I was glad I did, I learned so much helping to set up a new service and within 6 months I was given the opportunity to progress my career again and become the Team Leader.”

David spent three fun years at Bingham until he was asked to go “back home” to Shandon Road to be the Team Leader there.  David explained: “If I hadn’t taken that step to Bingham from Support Worker at Shandon I do not think I’ll have ever made it to Team Leader at Shandon Road, but here I was and this is where I think I proved my worth.”

After three more “amazing years” at Shandon Road David was asked to ‘act up’ to an Area Manager role in West Lothian.

“I couldn’t believe it (I live in West Lothian and the Director must have saw something in me to ask)! It was perfect.  The Area Manager job eventually came available and after being interviewed by the Director of Scotland and the CEO of the charity I got the job full time plus an extra service in Perth!”

Would you like a rewarding role like David’s, where your skills are valued and there are opportunities for you develop your skills and progress your career?  If so, we’d love to hear from you.