scarborough sunrise

Clients feedback and case studies

What do our clients say?

A selection of clients feedback gratefully received!

“I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for SPARKS” 

“Helpful, considerate, understanding”     “Very helpful, kind, caring people”      

They really do help with everything”          It truly has been an amazing first year!!”

“Just want to say a massive thank you for what you have done for me and the girls. I started with you in April 2019 and its been an amazing 8 months with the group. My anxiety is at its all time lowest and I think that has a lot to do with the help and positive mental attitude of you girls so thank you soooo much. Here’s to 2020 more things to look forward to!”

“You girls are amazing, seeing you makes my day, you are the sunshine in my life and no one else helps me”

” It works for me because its nice to know people care, and can have a laugh, and learn new skills that help me”

“SPARKS works because they don’t judge and will help with anything, if they can’t, they will find a way to help. I will always go back because they make you feel at ease and are very helpful”

BELINDA

sparks, project, charity, charitable, organisation, scarborough, north, yorkshire, barrowcliff, woodlands, business, ideas, training, education, dbs, cscs, career, adice, help, support, problem, solving, recruitment, financial, families, individuals, practical, parenting, debt, management, timetable, local, cooking, budget, budgetting, drop, in, sessions, recipes, information, guidance, crafting, activities, parents, children, cv, job, searching, hunting, universal, credit, beach, chalet, mental, health, awarenessWe were introduced to Belinda by a mutual friend who recommended our help. Belinda was a quivering wreck, shaking, crying and unable to make eye contact but we convinced her to sit and have a chat. We listened and let Belinda offload her worries, stress and problems and she said immediately that she felt better for talking to us.

We made an appointment to do a home visit and help Belinda “sort out her life”. Initially we helped with debt, as she had binned all her mail due to her mental health. She was feeling overwhelmed with life and had lost her confidence. Feeling isolated and out of touch with others. Leaving the house and going to town had ended up in several severe panic attacks and social anxiety kicked in.

We listened and supported Belinda to set some little goals to help her to move forward. She was motivated to sort out of the kid’s bedroom’s, and she donated several bags to the Rainbow Centre.

Our aim was to help Belinda to look after herself, build her mental strength and energy so that she could cope with everyday life.  The SPARKS timetable is built to do just that.

As well as lots of one to one support, Belinda started attending our group cooking, crafting and beach chalet sessions to have some time for herself and recharge her batteries. She also attended with her children in the school holidays and her confidence started to grow.

She attended our wellbeing workshop and found the information helpful and she now passes her knowledge onto other friends who are struggling. She understands her triggers for anxiety and about the importance of self-care to help her stay stable.

Belinda was building on all that she had learnt and was putting things into practice and once she starting to feel better and more confident and said that she wanted to start looking for a job. We created a CV and helped her understand her skill set and what she enjoyed doing. She started applying for jobs and was successful in her search, starting work at Waves and as a kitchen assistant.

Belinda says “I am so glad my friend introduced me to Michelle and Glenda, I really can’t imagine where I would be without them in my life. THANK YOU!!”

We asked if she would recommend the SPARKS Project and the answer.

“YES! They really do help with everything”.

GRAHAM

sparks, project, charity, charitable, organisation, scarborough, north, yorkshire, barrowcliff, woodlands, business, ideas, training, education, dbs, cscs, career, adice, help, support, problem, solving, recruitment, financial, families, individuals, practical, parenting, debt, management, timetable, local, cooking, budget, budgetting, drop, in, sessions, recipes, information, guidance, crafting, activities, parents, children, cv, job, searching, hunting, universal, credit, beach, chalet, mental, health, awarenessWhen I first met Graham in November 2018 at a meeting with Unltd he was angry, bitter and frustrated. He was stuck in the middle of politics in the local woods where he really wanted to work but it felt like this was impossible. Feeling despondent and bored he started self-medicating through alcohol.

I asked him to come and see me at SPARKS as I felt we would be able to help and support him through this difficult period in his life. He came to see me at Gallows Close and I listened to all he had to say about his stress, frustrations, and worries. He agreed to sign up to the SPARKS project but was very sceptical as to how we could help.

Graham started with lots of one to one session’s walking and talking and getting stuff off his chest. He also started attending cooking, crafting, walking and beach sessions to help with his boredom and to start filling his time productively. 

We helped with practical things like benefits and assessments as well as helping Graham with his mental health and wellbeing, self-awareness and self-care.

He was still interested in being self-employed as an arborist, however his confidence was low and the relationship with RWC needed quite a lot of work. We had meetings with Raincliff Wood Enterprise to try and help move things forward to employ a local person in the woods rather than outsourcing to large companies and I am pleased to say that these were productive.

We helped Graham with a business plan and application for the New Enterprise Allowance scheme as well as a £500 award from UNLTD, which helped to purchase a new chainsaw.

Graham has successfully started his own business and is now doing what he loves working in the woods. He is sharing his knowledge and training up another person to work with him. He is looking at gaining new skills in wood carving to make bespoke products which he can sell on.

This has not been an easy journey battling stress and depression, but Graham said the best bits were that “SPARKS listen and do not judge, they are happy to learn from other people, so it puts you at ease”. The bit he enjoyed the most was sharing his knowledge and teaching SPARKS about wildlife and the outdoors.

When asked what does SPARKS do? He says it is difficult to put into words, but he has a pet name for Michelle, and he calls her Wally. If you have ever seen Crocodile Dundee Wally is the person that you tell all your problems to and then you feel better. It’s that simple.

What did he learn? “To be bamboo”!! He learnt to be flexible and not be as rigid which caused him a great amount of stress.

Would he recommend the SPARKS Project? “Can’t get a better team of ladies to work with you”