Sam had a loss of confidence after having to come out of work due to illness, and was struggling to see what options were available to them. Their previous work had been in jobs including teaching and science. However, when it came to finding a job that better suited their values and situation, they had struggled with knowing where to start and what they may be qualified for.
Sam had been struggling with their mental health for some time, but knew that work was something they wanted to become ready for. Sam was referred to Good Work by Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.
Sam felt like entering back into work would help them restore some of the identity they felt that they had lost after leaving their job. Although Sam was confident with their ability to complete job applications and perform well in interviews, Sam felt like they struggled to find work that aligned with their values.
Sam worked with their Employment Specialist, Molly, to figure out how their skills and values could come together in order to find work they really wanted to do.
Sam secured a role as a Data Scientist at a multinational bank, and, after working with Molly, also felt confident enough to pivot into self-employment by starting their own art business. Mental State Art enables artists who have mental health conditions to share their work with the world, as well as contributing a small portion of sales to MIND charity – this aligns perfectly with Sam’s values and aspiration to help people.
Visit mentalstateart.com
When asked about their long-term goals, Sam expressed that they would like to keep a balance between their business, volunteering, and their interests for the next 12 months. Sam would love to see their business thriving, although expressed they would be very happy just to maintain the progress they have achieved so far.
If you would like to contact Sam about Mental State Art, you can access their website at mentalstateart.com or email artbymentalstate@gmail.com. You can also find them on social media at @mentalstateart.
