Abbie, age 26, takes part in animal care, pottery, art, and employability sessions at our Acorns Day Opportunities. Abbie has been busy working towards her City and Guilds Skills for Working Life qualification, which includes a module on animal care and we’re delighted to let you know that she has recently been offered a paid job caring for our animals with our Estates team.

We spoke to Abbie and Eva Medjedovic, Deputy Service Manager and Internal Quality Verifier for City and Guilds, about Abbie’s wonderful achievement.

Abbie said: “My passion is working with animals, especially horses, and I like colouring too. Going to Acorns has built up my confidence and I’ve met lots of new friends. I have worked on my CV and job applications in employability. I’ve learnt loads and picked up many new skills. I’m so proud of my achievements.
When I was told about the job working with animals I was so pleased and happy because animals are my favourite thing. I have wanted to work with animals since being at school.
When I start the job, taking care of the animals will be my priority and showing my passion for their care.
My goals for the future are to move into my own house or flat (I have recently applied for independent living) and to have a full-time, paid job.”

Eva said: "Abbie has been diligently working towards her City and Guilds qualification since April 23. She has collaborated closely with Megan Hollamby and Serena Duffield from the Employability team and Mary Flockhart, Animal Team Leader. More recently, in my capacity as the Internal Verifier for City and Guilds, I have been monitoring Abbie's progress.

Abbie recently faced redundancy in her role as a water assistant at Tunbridge Wells Hospital, due to budget cuts.

Recognising Abbie's capabilities and her passion for working with animals, I reached out to our Estates team to explore the possibility of securing paid employment for Abbie in animal care.

We recently received the wonderful news that Abbie had been offered a part-time job with the team! 

This highlights Aspens’ commitment to promoting inclusivity and paid opportunities, which given the challenges people with autism or learning disabilities face in securing employment, is absolutely crucial.

Abbie's dedication, especially after being made redundant by the NHS, is commendable. Her commitment to obtaining her City and Guilds qualification, coupled with her passion for animals, makes her a perfect fit for the role.”

Find out more about our Day Opportunities for adults on the autism spectrum and with learning disabilities, including our pathways to employment, here.